


Unrequited

by Salt_the_Catgirl



Series: Shiki - Unrequited [1]
Category: Shiki (Anime & Manga)
Genre: F/M, Friendship, Loss, M/M, Sacrifice, Unrequited, Unrequited Crush, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-04
Updated: 2015-07-04
Packaged: 2018-04-07 13:50:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 8
Words: 40,577
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4265589
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Salt_the_Catgirl/pseuds/Salt_the_Catgirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Natsuno has feelings for Tohru, but won't tell him for fear of loosing his friendship. Realizing Tohru likes Ritsuko, Natsuno resides himself to settling with "Best Friend Status". Story told from Natsuno's point of view, fallows canon of the first 13 anime episodes, and the Manga chapters that coincide. May be my saddest TohrUno fic ever.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This may just be my saddest TohruNo fic ever, since it follows the cannon. It's been floating around in my head for a while, but I've had bigger, longer stories to work on. So, I'm going to FINALLY get this one down, so I can get it out of my head and have a chance to focus more on the others. This was supposed to just be a one shot, short and simple, but it turned into something more along the lines of what I did for Karneval in Innocence Lost, so I'm going to be forced to break it down into chapters anyway. I'm just giving you one long Author's Note Now, so I don't have to give it in bits and pieces throughout the story. I don't normally do stories as told by the character's perspective, so I'll ask forgiveness on that point now. The whole thing is done from Natsuno's point of view, starting from the day he met Tohru to the day of his death. Actually, while writing it, it almost felt more like I was reading his diary than listening to him describe it himself. Then again, that could just be me? I will admit though, I think Natsuno uses "Damn" a bit more in this than he does in the canon. Also, for as much of the canon as I try to follow, I've changed the time line a bit. This was originally supposed to be an internal monologue from Natsuno's point of view on how he was fine with simply being friends with Tohru, but it's turned into something much longer winded. And I sneak in a reference to a little paranormal romance movie from two years back, that reminds me a lot of this series. I've made challenges before to see if people can guess the TV shows I'm referencing. I'm putting that challenge here, too. Also, Annie, I'm sorry for using a snippet of our latest conversation in this story as Natsuno and Tohru-Chan talking. I didn't use it out of disrespect, but I thought the dialogue actually fit with the story.  
> Natsuno's thoughts are in italics (as it's from his point of view, we have no way of knowing what anyone else is thinking, just how he interpenetrates the looks on their faces)  
> "Whispers are in bold italics with quotation marks."  
> Narrative is normal text  
> "Speech is normal text with quotation marks."  
> The one thing that happens as flashback is in bold and the only thing written completely in past tense. Natsuno's imagining Tohru asking Ritsu on a date is also in bold and written in future tense.  
> As always, any and all comments and constructive criticisms are welcomed. Think I'm being too harsh on Megumi? Think the characters are perfectly IC or to OOC? Think it feels more like I'm giving my own commentary than suggesting what Natsuno should be feeling and should stop using this as excuse to point out plot holes? (Totally not my intention with this story, but I can see where you would think it.) Think this is exactly how Natsuno would be feeling? Think the scenes I copied and pasted then edited from "Innocent Beginnings" out of temporary laziness is too obvious and way too samey? Think I should have pulled more from the Anime than the Manga? Think I should stop trying to recreate these scenes without giving them a proper AU like I did Karneval? Think I'm over using the arbitrary out-of-the-blue teddy bear gimmick? Let me know!

_Damn it all! What's with these stupid roads? I can't believe I've got a flat tire already? This was a new bike, we bought it just before the move._ "TSK! Figures. I knew nothing good would come of moving out here." _Guess I'll just have to push it._ I sigh as I climb off my bike and began to push it down the road. _It's so annoying! What was Dad thinking coming out here in the first place?_ "I can't wait to get back to the city."

I push my bike down the road. As I quietly scan the area I'm walking through, I take in the scenery. I gotta' admit, the view and fresh air are rather pleasant. It's enough to forget where I'm going, or that I'm pushing a bike with a flat tire. _Damn. The tire... Great, now I'm depressed again._ If I'm lucky, I'll make it home without running into any of the 'neighbors.' Especially that pink haired girl... _Jeez, is there anyone in this town who isn't annoying and nosy?_

“Hey there, flat tire?” a voice calls out. I cringe. _So much for avoiding the neighbors._ “I can help you fix it.” the voice offers.

I stop and look up. It's Mutou Tohru-Senpai. I've seen the guy around, but he's older than I am, so we don't have any classes together, or anything. _Why is he even bothering to notice me?_ “No thanks. I'm fine.” I start to walk away. The more I can avoid people, the better.

Mutou-Senpai walks over and puts a hand on the bike, stopping me from moving. _Seriously, dude, what the hell?_ “It’ll only take a minute," he assures me. He sees the look on my face and frowns. "Come on, don't be like that. It's called being neighborly."

I sigh as I look up at him. _Damn it all!_ I just made eye contact with him. _Huh? They're honey brown, like his hair, and so trusting and full of life and innocence. Those are the kind of eyes a person just can’t say ‘no’ to._ “Fine, I’ll let you fix it, if it means that much to you. But, promise me you won't ask any stupid, annoying questions? I get enough of that from my classmates. I’m not looking to make friends."

"Eh? Why not?" Muto-Senpai asks, almost frowning. "Where's the fun in life without making new friends?"

 _Idiot._ "I intend to leave and move back to the city as soon as I get the chance,” I announce.

“That’s too bad,” Mutou-Senpai says as he fills a bucket full of water, “A place like this isn’t so bad once you get use to it.” He sticks the bike tire inside the bucket and starts threading it through, looking for the puncture. “You might want to get your parents to get you a repair kit from the store. These roads can be pretty dangerous for bikes sometimes.”

“Yeah, ok,” I reply.

“So, I've seen you around on campus, but haven't had the chance to talk with you, yet. This is the kind of place where everybody knows everybody,” he exposited. _Which is what makes it so damned annoying. No body can make a single move without feeling they're being spied on and scrutinized._ "Your parents run the new atelier, right?"

I sigh. Fair enough question. "Yeah, Dad's a carpenter." _Keep the answers short, Natsuno!_

"So, my name's Mutou Tohru, by the way," he adds, stupidly, as if he thought I didn't already know who he was. His honey blonde hair and happy-go-lucky demeanor make him stick out like a sore thumb. EVERYBODY at school knows who this guy is. In fact, Shimizu may be the only person I've seen show any disdain towards him. "What's your name?"

“Yuuki, or Koide, either works, either’s fine,” I answer.

"Oh, right, I'd heard about that," he says, "Your parents aren't married, are they?"

I shrug. _Damn it._ News travels fast in a little place like this. Not like it matters! They don't approve of religion, or 'social norms'. They didn't marry, because they don't trust the system. Rather inconsistent of them to decide to send me to public school, rather than home school me, when you think about it. "Yeah, something like that," I scoff in reply.

"Good for them," Mutou-Senpai replies.

 _Wait... WHAT!?_ "Huh?" I ask out loud, turning to look at him.

He smiles at me and I quickly try to look away. _Damn!? What's with the butterflies in my stomach all of a sudden?_ "It's not easy," he says, "To do something out of the ordinary, when you know others are going to judge you for it. Ah! Here's your leak!" He pulls the tire out of the water, dries off the area and begins to patch it. "But, even so, you're still a happy family together, right?" he concludes.

 _Wow. He actually gets it?_ I give a nod. "Right," I answer.

Mutou-Senpai smiles and there go those butteflies in my stomach again. _Seriously, what the hell?_ "So then, Yuuki or Koide that's just your last name, right?" he asks. "That can get a little confusing. What's your first name? I can't exactly come to school calling you 'Flat Tire Kohai' tomorrow, you know," he teases as he finishes putting the tire on the bike.

 _Idiot!_ I snatch my bike away from him. "Forget it! Just call me Yuuki like everyone else. I told you I'm not interested in friends."

He heaves a sigh that almost makes me turn back to him. "Fine, Yuuki it is," he agrees, sounding utterly defeated. "I suppose it's pointless to invite you back to visit sometime, then?"

"Why would I?" Wow, that sounded harsher than I'd intended. ... I heave a quiet sigh. "Thanks for helping me, by the way."

I didn't have to look at him to know he was smiling again, I could hear it in his voice. "You're welcome," he replies happily.

I hop on my bike and head home. It's much faster this way, compared to walking, especially compared to walking it with a flat. I blink as Mutou-Senpai's smile flashes back in my mind. Closing my eyes, I shake my head. What is it about that guy? Other than Mom and Dad, I don't think I've ever spoken to anyone as much as I just did with him, even with what few friends I had back in the city.

It's almost dark when I get home. I put my bike away and hurry inside. I know that for Dad, part of the appeal to this place was that no one locks their doors, but it I'm not as at ease about that idea as he and Mom are. Especially, when SHE'S lurking out there in the bushes. She doesn't have to know the door's not locked, so long as she thinks it it, that's what matters.

I go to my room and open the shutter. I take a cautious look outside, quietly watching the tree line. No movement, other than leaves rustling in the breeze. _Good, she's not here yet. Maybe she'll catch a cold and won't come at all, tonight._

I wish she'd take the hint already. I've avoided her as much as possible. I don't actively seek her out at school. Hell, I don't even talk to her! She just follows me around. I keep telling everyone I'm not interested in making friends. Truth is, I'm not even interested in girls! If she were just looking to be friends, I might not be so annoyed with her, but the fact that she...

I start to take off my shirt to get ready for bed, but pause. Ever get the feeling you're being watched? Yeah, that's been the story of my life every night since my third day of school. I turn and look out the window. There it is, movement in the bushes, inconsistent with all the rest. Shimizu Megumi-San is out there, hiding in the tree line. Is she a slave to her teenaged hormones or something? Honestly, she's always out there hoping for a peek of man-flesh.

I'd report her, but I'm new in town. No one would believe me. They'd probably think I was some sort of perverted peeping tom who lied about her because she caught me and refused my advances. Jeez, I've TRIED to be nice about this, but she's relentless. I close the shutter and lock my bedroom door as I get changed for bed. I wish we'd never moved into this back woods town.

As I settle in bed and close my eyes, Mutou-Senpai's face flashes back into my mind. "WHAT THE HELL AM I THINKING!?" I scold myself out loud. Damn. This shouldn't be happening.

Ok, I'll admit it, he's handsome... HELL, he's gorgeous, but there's no way... For starters, he's three years older than I am and will probably graduate and go to university this year, if not the next. Unless he's been held back a year, then maybe the year after next? I'm really not sure what year he's in, just that he's above me. Second, there's those rumors about him and one of the nurses from the clinic where his father works. Third, in a town like this, if he were interested in anything other than girls, he'd be the talk of the town, and not for the reasons he already is.

I lie back down on the bed, my arms crossed behind my head, and stare up at my ceiling. _Nothing wrong with a little crush, right? I mean, it's not like I'm going to go HER standards._ I turn my attention toward the shut and locked shutters over my windows. I shiver as the image of my pink haired classmate pops in my head. I think I'm starting to hate the color pink. _You'll never catch me dead in it, that's for damned sure._

I roll over, facing toward the wall and close my eyes, taking in a deep breath. Once more, Mutou-Senpai's smile comes to mind. I've never felt quite so comfortable with someone like I did, simply standing next to him. Well... Minus the damned butterflies, that is. I smile and grip my pillow. "I'll have to find some kind of excuse to go see him again."

************************************************************************************************************************************************

 _He's a bloody idiot!_ All he did was help me with my tire, and now he waves and speaks to me every time he passes me in the hall. I'm trying to remain indifferent, but I think even Shimizu's started to notice the smile I'm trying to hide whenever I see him. It's been two weeks, now. I finally gave him a verbal reply. It was just a simple 'Yo', but that was enough to light him up like a damned Christmas tree.

Shimizu stalks me at every chance, if it weren't for the fact that she'd get in trouble, she'd probably even follow me into the men's room when I duck in there to get away from her. When I replied to Mutou-Senpai, I caught her frowning at both of us out of the corner of my eye. Good, maybe she'll finally take the hint and stop ignoring that cute little pig-tailed girl who's always tagging along behind her.

I doubt it, though. I've paid enough attention to realize what Shimizu's really all about. She's not as interested in me as she claims, or at least I don't think she is. She's self-centered, pretentious, and selfish. She turns her nose up at everyone in town. I mean, I don't care for them, but at least I'm not outright making it obvious that I hate them. She's cruel towards her friend with the pigtails. She's snobby towards the townsfolk. She wears inappropriately flamboyantly pink attire during her free time away from school. If there were somewhere special to go and dress up for, it would make sense, but she's CLEARLY doing it for attention. _Isn't she an only child? Why's she got to worry about attention?_ She claims she's going to grow up to be the next big model. In this little town? _Whatever, chick, keep dreaming._

I'm turning heads everywhere I go at school, though. The girls are infatuated because I'm someone, something new, and because they know I'm from the city. At least most of the other girls aren't annoying about it. They ask me questions about what it's like, if it's any different, do I like being here. I give them short replies, and they move on. I just discovered Mutou-Senpai's younger brother was one my classmates, Tamotsu-Kun. Apparently his twin sister Aoi-San is in the class across the hall from us. Maybe Mutou-Senpai's hyperactivity is because he's suffering a combination of 'older-sibling' and 'middle-child' syndrome? The twins are much more laid back, though just as friendly.

Then there's this weird guy. Murasako Masao-Kun. He's the stereotypical creepy kid, tall, lanky, scraggly long black hair, pale as moonlight, freaky eyes. It's obvious his grades aren't at the top of our class, either. I've treated him no different from anyone else, but he can't stand me. He's even more starved for attention than Shimizu. Tamotsu-Kun seems to be his best friend, but he's close with the other two Mutou kids, too. I think he's got a crush on Mutou-Senpai, too, actually. Maybe he's bi, because he's obviously looking for affection from Aoi-San, as well. But his biggest hang up is clearly Shimizu. He's just as bad about trying to get her attention as she is trying to get mine. I think that's why he hates me, the two people he wants the most attention from are both looking at me. Whatever, at least unlike the rest of these people around here, he's smart enough to realize I'm NOT the best thing since sliced bread. Jeez, it's been nearly two months. If I'd moved to a different school in the city, I'd already be old news by now.

************************************************************************************************************************************************

Three weeks since my first flat, and now I've got another one. Same road, too, must be a sharp rock in the dirt path somewhere that I just can't see. Mutou-Senpai's house isn't too far away, now. "Well, he warned me these roads were dangerous for bikes. Maybe I should just switch to walking and running instead." Either way, it still exercises my injured knee. "I wonder if Mutou-Senpai's home today?" I shake my head as I realize I said that. I wouldn't want to impose. I stop and look at my bike. If I continue to walk home with it in this condition, it'll be even darker when I get home, than it was last time this happened. I smile to myself. _Well, I did say I needed to come up with an excuse to see him again._

He's not outside watering the yard like last time. Great, now I'm nervous. I stand in front of the Mutou household for a moment, staring at the door, wondering if I should even approach it. I'd hate to be rude, an unexpected guest interrupting dinner or something. But, then... I look at my bike again and sigh. Leaving it in this state is only going to slow me down. "FINE!"

I approach the house and hesitate for a moment, before knocking. Maybe they're all out and I'm not really interrupting anything. I pat my pockets. _Damn._ Nothing to write on or with. So, if they're not home, I can't just leave the darn thing with a note apologizing for doing so and explaining I'd have my dad bring me back to pick it up later. Guess I'll just go home.

I turn to start and leave, but just as I do, I hear the door swing open. I look up, a bit surprised. I'm not use to people actually answering the door without looking through a peep hole or at least asking who's on the other side. I was expecting Mutou-Kun, or Mutou-San, someone whom I'd have to explain why I'm even here to, but no. It's Mutou-Senpai himself.

Mutou-Senapi smiles the moment he sees me. Maybe it's the angle of the sun hitting those messy blonde locks of his, but I could have sworn he was sparkling for a moment. I feel my heart tighten at that moment. _This isn't a good idea. I should leave._

“Another flat? What you don’t know how to use a repair kit?” he teases.

I look away. “Shut up. It’s just I haven’t had the chance to buy one yet. But... If it wouldn't be too much trouble. I... I mean." I reach into my pockets again. Yep, nothing to write with, but definately a few yen pieces. "If you don't mind helping me fix it again, I can pay you for the trouble this time."

Mutou-Senpai smiles and shakes his head. “Perish the thought!" he says, catching hold of my bike. "It's no problem at all. Come on, follow me." I give a quiet nod and follow him around to the side of the house. He pulls out the repair kit, the same bucket from before, and the water hose. Pouring a bit of soap into the bucket, he begins to add water and then begins threading the tire through. I lean against the wall behind me and watch. This is kind of nice. I've got an excuse to be around him, and he's being quiet, rather than asking all the same annoying questions I get from everyone else. He finds the leak quicker this time. "You know, it’s getting late, how’d you like to stay for dinner?”

“I wouldn’t like to impose.”

“No, you wouldn’t be,” he assures me as he begins to patch up the tire. "You wanted to pay me back for helping you out right? Then just stay for dinner, and hang out for a bit," he invites again. "There we go, all fixed. By the way, I did some digging around.” He chuckles. “Your name? I asked your parents.” He smiles and points his finger at me, sort of snapping his fingers, and winking. The way he says it, “Natsuno!” it sounds so cool and just rolls of his tongue. No one had ever made my name sound that way before. Mutou-Senpai smiles at me. “Are you sure you don’t wanna’ come in for dinner?”

 _Please tell me I'm not blushing?_ Those eyes really are hard to say ‘no’ to. “Alright,” I accept, following him inside. “But I’ll have to call my parents and let them know.”

“Sure, no problem,” Mutou-Senpai nods. He turns and calls into the kitchen. "Mom, hope you don't mind, we're having company for dinner."

I get ready to turn and leave, thinking his mother would have an objection to cooking for an extra person so suddenly. "How many?" Mutou-San asked.

"Just one," Mutou-Senpai answered holding up a finger as he stood in the doorway to the kitchen. "He's the new kid in Tamo-Chan's class."

"The one who's parents run the altilier?" Mutou-San asked.

Ok, that's it, I'm leaving. I turn to go, only to feel his hand catch hold of my wrist. I look up to see he's still looking at his mother. He knew I was trying to leave, and never even looked back at me.

"Yeah," Mutou-Senpai says, giving a gentle tug, pulling me into the doorway next to him. "His bike had a flat tire, and the atelier is pretty far out there. It might be late before he makes it home."

Mutou-San smiles at me. "Very well. Yuuki-Kun, am I right?" she asks.

I smile and nod. "Y-Yes ma'am." I bow to her. "Sorry to intrude."

She giggles. "Not at all, dear. Any friend of Tohru's is always welcome here. Would you like to call your parents to let them know you're alright?"

"If that wouldn't be too much trouble?" I answer with a nod. Mutou-San nods, granting her permission. These people are so welcoming and trusting. It's amazing.

"The phone's over here," Mutou-Senpai says, pulling me to a wall mounted phone.

I dial my number and tell my mother why I won't be home in time for supper. Even with her unconventional methods, she still feels compelled to ask me to let her speak with Mutou-San. I guess she wants to make sure I'm really doing what I say I'm doing, and haven't gotten in with the wrong crowd or something.

There's no getting out of this, now. Mutou-San is telling Mother how polite I'm being and how she'd hate to have me get home so late at night on an empty stomach. Judging by her reaction, I think Mom just invited her to come over and visit us sometime. _Yep, I'm stuck here._

The whole family sits down together to eat. None of them question my being here, but they all acknowledge my presence. The closest thing to a 'Why are you here' comes from Tamotsu-Kun. "You're always so quiet in class, I thought you just wanted to be left alone." Astute observation. "I never realized you were friends with Tohru-Niisan."

"Friends?" I glance toward Mutou-Senpai and try not to blush. "Maybe," I mutter. "Mutou-Senpai helped me with my bike, then asked me to stay for dinner is all." Hey, at least I'm being honest.

"Senpai!?" Mutou-Senpai exclaims, a blush crossing his own face. He looks at me and elbows me in the side. "Don't be so stiff and formal, Natsuno," he scolds, "We're friends, call me Tohru-Chan."

"Natsuno?" the rest of the family parrots.

"So that's your first name?" Aoi-Chan exclaims, a blush sweeping across her face. Great, does she have a crush on me too or something? Masoao's REALLY going to hate me.

I sigh. "I prefer not to be called by that name," I respond. It was my father's choice. It means Summer. It's so girly. But he says he took it from some feudalistic lord. "Yuuki's fine."

"How come?" Mutou-Senpai asks, "I think it's a nice name."

"I have my reasons," I protest.

Mutou-Kun quickly changes the conversation. It changes to other subjects, like how the kids and parents spent their day. So this is how a bigger family acts, is it? I didn't have many friends back in the city, one lived with his widowed mother, another with his divorced father, and another with her grandparents, they were all only children like me, each from unconventional families, and I never got invited to stay at their houses. So, I'm seeing this sort of interaction for the first time. The siblings poke fun at each other, and bicker, but their parents put a quick stop to the bickering. Still, there's an obvious deep seeded bond between them. It's rather refreshing.

Of course Mutou-Sen... No, Tohru-Chan, refuses to let me run off right after the meal. Instead, he drags me up to his room to hang out for a little while. Now it's going to be really late when I get home. Then again, that means Shimizu will be sitting out in the bushes waiting for nothing tonight. Does she honestly not think I know she's there? Maybe she'll leave before I get home.

As I get ready to leave later on, I thank Mutou-San and Mutou-Kun for the pleasant meal, only to get invited back to visit at anytime I want. Just like that, no questions asked. Ok, so maybe not everyone in this town is completely annoying. Tohru-Chan walks me out to my bike and stays out in the yard to see me off when I leave. I don't think he went inside until I was out of sight. I guess there are a few good things about this place, after all.

I get home and cautiously approach the door. I try to be inconspicuous as I glance toward the tree line outside my room. No sign of her. She's bound to have left by now. She never misses a day, even when it's raining. At least she can't ask me where I was, that would give her away. I slip inside and head to my room. Opening the window, I cautiously watch the tree line as I start to change for bed. No signs of movement. I can actually sleep with the window open tonight.


	2. Chapter 2

"Hiiii, Yuuki-Kuuun," Shimizu greets me. I shudder as her voice cracks against my ears. She's trying to make it sugary sweet, but to me, it sounds as though it were dripping with poison. I've given up trying to get through to her that I'm not interested. Instead of speaking to her, I simply start to walk away. Classes will start in a few minutes anyway. She pouts and stomps her foot when she realizes I'm ignoring her now.

"Stop following me," I grumble as she chases after me.

She doesn't pay any mind, as usual. "Ne, Yuuki-Kun, look!" She holds up her arm to show off some sort of gold charm bracelet. "I just got this in the mail yesterday, I ordered it out of a magazine."

"That's nice," I comment, making certain to sound as uninterested as possible as I reach into my locker.

She opens her mouth to speak again, but... "Oiii, Natsuuunooo...!" We both look up to see our golden blonde Senpai rush past her. He pounces and hugs me. Taken by surprise, I stagger. _Is he like this with everybody?_ "There's my cute little Kohai!" he teases.

 _CUTE!?_ "Gh..." I quickly regain my balance and hope I'm not blushing. "Get off, and don't call me that!" I already hear the other students whispering behind us.

 _ **"Natsuno?"**_  
_**"Is that Yuuki-Kun's name?"**_  
**_"Isn't that Tohru?"_**  
**_"Since when are those two friends?"_**  
**_Why does everything in this town have to be turned into gossip?_**

Shimizu frowns and storms off. Well, at least that's one annoyance out of the way. Now, I've just gotta' deal with this guy. "HEY!" I untangle myself from his arms. "I said get off!"

"Sorry..." He looks past me, toward the pink haired girl storming away from us. "Did I interrupt you and your girlfriend?"

"She's NOT my girlfriend!" I growl, turning away from him.

"Oh, just friends?" he asks.

"No."

"But...? She's always following you and talking to you?"

"I've asked her not to."

"I see. Well, in that case I just pulled you out of an unwanted conversation, didn't I?" he says with a smile.

"Yeah, I guess so."

His smile gets bigger. "Hey, you want to hang out after school today?" I start to say no, but he continues. "I wanna' show you around. Not just the best places in town, but some of the best quiet places."

I pause and blink, looking over my shoulder at him. He's smiling from ear to ear. _Say no, say no, say n..._ "Ok, yeah, sure." _Damn it, I'm weak._

I meet him after school and we start to walk home. I try to remain indifferent, but he keeps flashing that smile of his. I glance back over my shoulder every now and then. Shimizu doesn't seem to be following us. Good.

"Here we go," Tohru-Chan suddenly announces, a chuckle in his voice. He looks over his shoulder at me. "Have you ever come down this road before?"

"No."

He smiles. "Thirsty?"

"A little."

He catches me by the wrist. "C'mon, then," he laughs, pulling me to a small structure on the side.

"Hey, what?"

"See this spring here? It's the Healing Water. It's always cold and yummy. It's said if you drink from it you become smarter."

"Really?" I reply as sarcastically as possible.

"Yep," he smiles from ear to ear, as he backs up toward the spring. Maybe he thinks I don't notice him reaching behind his back and wrapping those long, slender fingers around the dipping spoon. He scoops the spoon through the water and splashes it at me. "And I understand you've got an exam coming up, so drink up. May want to get it on your head too." he teases.

"Hey, stop that!" I try not to laugh as a approach and snatch the spoon from him. I smirk as I use the spoon to splash him back. No wonder he'd insisted we change out of our uniforms before we headed home. Tohru-Chan laughs and scoops his hand into the water, splashing me again. I return the favor once more, but as I do, I notice something. "Huh...?" Tohru-Chan realizes I've noticed, whatever it is I've noticed, and doesn't retaliate. "There's a spider."

Tohru-Chan smiles. "Ah, you found him!" he laughs. "It's a water spider. It's said that it's the god that protects this water. There's only been one since I was a kid, and strangely enough there's never any more or less." He taps the dipping spoon on his shoulder, smiling from ear to ear. "What do you think, pretty cool isn't it?" _And you were trying to talk me into drinking this stuff?_ I start to walk away. "Hey, where are you going?"

"It's gross to drink water a spider's been in."

He frowns for a moment. Then smiles and pounces me again. "Alright, then let's go buy some juice!" He winks and giggles. "I know a great place."

I follow him back into town. I've already figured him out. He's a good guy. The kind of guy who draws people in and makes them want to become friends with him. ... Staying away is going to be difficult. He leads me to a small restaurant greets the lady behind the counter, and orders two drinks, and a small snack from the menu. He turns and looks at me. "Ne, Natsuno, want anything else? My treat!"

I shake my head. "Stop calling me that. And no, it is not your treat! I'll pay for my own drink, thank you."

"I won't hear of it!" he refuses.

I sigh. "Fine, if you insist. But no, just a juice is fine."

He flashes that smile of his again and I try to look away. "Alright, suit yourself," he chuckles. "Have a seat, it'll be a moment before our order's ready."

"Right," I nod, finding the most isolated spot I can to sit. There's not a lot of people in the place at the moment, but I can already hear them whispering.

_**"That's the boy from the atelier isn't it?"** _

I get it already! Nosy jerks. I turn and look out the window, suddenly regretting having chosen a window seat, when I see Shimizu passing just outside. I start to get up and move, but Tohru-Chan comes and sits down across from me. "Alright, here we go!" he laughs, setting our order down on the table. He notices the look on my face, and glances out the window. "Oh, it's Megumi-Chan. What's'a'matter, big guy? Got a crush on her?" he teases.

"NO!" I scoff, "I'm trying to avoid her."

"You make it sound like she's stalking you?"

"Something like that," I mumble.

"Huh?"

"Nothing."

"So, you've been here just a little over two months now, right?" he asks. I nod, then quickly advert my eyes as he flashes his smile. "So, if not Megumi-Chan, is there anyone around here you do have a crush on?"

I nearly choke on my drink, my eyes locking on him for a second. I set the drink down coughing slightly. Linking my fingers together, and setting my elbows on the table, I use my hands to hide as much of my face as I can. "As a matter of fact..." I start. _Wait, what the hell am I doing!? I can't tell him that! If he knows, he'll stop talking to me all together, and then there will just be MORE rumors and gossip going around._

 _Saved by the bell._ The door to the restaurant opens, and the bell hanging from it jingles. Tohru-Chan looks up toward the door and lights up like a Christmas Tree. "Ritsu-Chan!" He doesn't just wave at the person walking in, he jumps from his seat and runs to greet her.

I look over my shoulder. Who could have been important enough to pull him away? A woman. Tall and skinny, but pretty. Long wavy blue green hair, and matching eyes. Obviously a nurse, according to the way she's dressed. She must be the one in the rumors I keep hearing about Torhu-Chan. Well... I rest my cheek on my hand and quietly watch them. I can effeminately see why people would think it.

Tohru-Chan stands as close to her as possible, hands tucked behind his back as he chats with her. She's mirroring his stance and both of them are all smiles. It's almost as if they're daring one another to break through that last little inch of personal space. That was a game I remember some couples at my old school playing sometimes, I think they called it 'Force-field'.

"Ne, come on, Ritsu-Chan, I want you to meet someone!" Tohru-Chan says excitedly, catching her hand and pulling her over to the table where I'm sitting. "Ritsu-Chan, I'd like to introduce you to Yuuki/Koide Natsuno. Natsuno, this is Kunihiro Ritsuko-Chan. She's a nurse at Ozaki-Sensei's clinic."

"Nice to meet you, Natsuno," she says.

"Yuuki, please," I request. "Nice to meet you too."

She joins us at the table and Tohru-Chan runs back to the counter to buy something for her as well. He returns shortly and rejoins us. The three of us spend the rest of the afternoon talking. She's nice. Like Tohru-Chan, she doesn't seem quite like the rest of the people here. I suppose, if he's going to be with a woman, I don't think he could find a better one. Though, I think I'm starting to feel a little jealous. I'll try to keep that in check.

Maybe it's just because I feel comfortable around Tohru-Chan, but I open up a little, talking with them. I don't know why I offered up the information, but I even mentioned the injury to my knee. Maybe it's because she's a nurse, I just felt that information was safe with her. "I run, bike, or walk everyday to try and strengthen it," I say, reaching down and clenching a fist into my pants leg over the offending knee.

Ritsu-Chan, as she insists I refer to her, smiles. "That's good. Does it bother you often?"

I shake my head. "Not often, but from time to time."

"Wow, I had no idea," Tohru-Chan interjects. He smiles. "If it ever acts up and you need support, feel free to lean on me," he offers. My hand clenches tighter around my knee. Dude, seriously? Stop messing with me!

We finish our drinks and head outside. Shimizu is standing across the way, frowning at us. Had she been watching us the entire time? I hadn't noticed. My attention is drawn away from my pink haired stalker by the sound of a dog barking. I look down to see a black and white dog running up to us.

"Tarou!" Ritsu-Chan scolds him, "What are you doing here?" She picks the dog up and introduces me to him. Apparently he's hers. The dog leaps from her arms into mine and begins licking me in the face. It takes her and Tohru-Chan both to wrestle the excitable pup away.

Well... At least that's one individual in this town that I know is being sincere about what they think about me.

************************************************************************************************************************************************

Time passes and Tohru-Chan and I start to hang out more and more often. I keep reminding myself I'm not looking to make friends. I keep scolding myself for being so drawn towards him. I can never tell him what I really think about him, so I keep trying to push him away. ... But I'm not trying hard enough. It's the same thing everytime we spend time together. He rushes up and pounces at me, pulling me into a bear hug. I push him off and behave cold and stoic to try and hide what I really feel. But by the end of the day, I feel good just having spent that little bit of time with him. I try not to smile a lot, but he makes that difficult, and I think he sees it.

On the other hand. Shimizu storms away every time she sees us together. It hasn't stopped her other forms of stalking me, but at least I do get some sort of reprieve from her when he's around. This morning, I came up on the two of them waiting at the bus stop. It's unusual for Tohru-Chan to be there, maybe his parents were running late for work and he didn't really feel like walking to school this morning. They're arguing.

"You're a jerk Mutou-Kun!" Shimizu snipped. Riiight... Tohru-Chan doesn't have a single bad natured bone in his body.

"ME?" Tohru-Chan exclaims. "Well, I'm sorry I'm not who you hoped I was when I walked up here, but I'm only telling you the truth. I don't think he likes the way you follow him around all the time."

Sigh. Arguing about me, of course. She's got a one track mind. "Yo!" I break up the argument. "Is the bus late, or did we miss it?"

"Yuuki-Kun!" Shimizu exclaims.

"Natsuno!" Tohru pounces me. "I figured you'd already be halfway to school by now."

I push him off and sucker punch his shoulder. "Get off, and STOP calling me that!" He gives one of his smiles and a soft chuckle that just melts me. Shimizu looks like she's fuming. "I had trouble climbing out of bed this morning. I kept hearing noises in the bushes last night. I think there was some kind of animal rummaging around outside my room and it kept me up." I dead pan on Shimizu, who's entire face is now beat red. She shies away. Don't give me that innocent routine, I know you were there later than usual last night, and you're wearing extra make up to hide the bags under your eyes.

"Maybe it was an Oni, come to eat your soul for being such a grumpy pants," Tohru-Chan teases, still rubbing his shoulder. _Oh, come on, I didn't hit you THAT hard._

"Idiot," Shimizu and I say simultaneously. Tohru-Chan blinked at us. Shimizu's voice had been seething with hatred. I had done a horrible job of hiding my fondness for him in my own, however.

"I don't believe in fairy tales like that," I state. "An Oni is just as bogus as that spider god of yours at the healing spring."

"Hey! Don't mock the spider god!" Tohru-Chan protests, "He may curse you next time you reach into that water!"

"Jeez, Mutou, you're so childish!" Shimizu exclaims. Ok, I'll give her that one.

The bus arrives and we all climb on board. Tohru-Chan ignores the whispers of shock from the other passengers that he's even climbing on board. "Tohru-Chan!" Masao exclaims, sounding both surprised and happy to see him. "It's not like you to ride the bus. Would you like a seat? Oh..." His enthusiasm changes when he sees me climb on behind Tohru. "Never mind."

Sorry the sight of me ruined your day. I plop down in a window seat. Tohru-Chan's free to sit wherever he likes. I flinch when I see someone sit next to me. I slowly turn my head, half expecting Shimizu to have taken the spot. My heart skips a beat, more out of relief than anything, to see Tohru-Chan decided to sit with me first.

"Ah, Megumi-Chan! Good morning!" Masao greets her as she climbs on the bus. I almost feel sorry for him. She doesn't even say hello to him, which just makes his mood even worse.

Tohru and I walk home after school. "So, what's really going on with you and Megumi-Chan?" he asks.

"Huh?" I look back over my shoulder at him curiously and stop long enough for him to catch up with me. "What do you mean?"

"She follows you everywhere. Even now she's following us at a distance where she can't hear us and thinks we don't notice her. She only seems to stay away when I'm around. She's never been crazy about me, I admit," he says. I can see it in those beautiful honey brown eyes of his that he's not trying to boast, but even he's aware that that's unusual compared to the other people in this town, "But she's become a lot colder toward everyone since you moved here. What did you do to her?"

"ME!?" I exclaim, completely flabbergasted. Almost hurt. "What makes you think I did something to her? Did she say anything like that?"

"No, NO!" Tohru-Chan exclaims, waiving his hands in the air. "I don't mean." He blushes. "Oh God, no, I don't mean to insinuate you two have been promiscuous or anything."

"It's not what I did to her!" I sigh and look away, lowering my voice as I mumble, "It's what she's doing to me."

"Huh?" Tohru-Chan asks. "Hey, Natsuno...?" He moves to come closer. I'm already anticipating a hug from him.

"Don't touch me!" I order, causing him to freeze in his steps. "And don't call me that, either." I clench my fists. If that wasn't what he was suggesting, I honestly can't think of anything else he could have meant. "I'm going home!" I start to walk away.

"Hey, Natsuno, wait!" Tohru-Chan exclaims, his voice soft and full of concern. I freeze as I feel his hand wrap around my wrist. "I'm sorry. You're a good kid, I know that." _KID? Great, thanks._ He walks up to me and ruffles his free hand through my hair, flashing me one of his sweet, comforting smiles. "What I meant was did you do or say anything that gave her the impression she had a chance to be your girlfriend, then turn around and break her heart by telling her she'd misunderstood you?" He released my wrist and placed his hands on his hips. "NOT did you seduce her over night then leave her in the woods to walk home by herself, ya' perv!" he adds, partially teasing, partially scolding.

"Straight for the worst possible scenario?" I quip, shaking my head, "I didn't see that coming from you, Tohru-Chan." I smile. I know I'm smiling, but I can't force myself to hide it, this time. "No," I answer seriously, "Nothing like that. I've even asked her to leave me alone, but she doesn't listen. ... Just like someone else," I add this part in teasingly, "You people around here sure are stubborn, you know that?"

"What can I say, we like our consistencies," Tohru-Chan laughs. "But, seriously, if you want to talk about it, I'm all ears."

I glance behind us. He's right. I don't know if she can hear us or not, but she's definitely following us. I can see her peeking around a tree. She probably doesn't realize those pink pigtails of hers are giving her away. "Not here," I say, "Not out in the open."

"Then come back to my place for a while," he offers.

Actually, I'd love to, but... "Can't we've got a mock exam first thing in the morning tomorrow."

"I'll help you stud for it afterwards. C'mon, Mom should be home by the time we get there, we can get her to cook up a small snack to take up to my room. You can tell me all about what's going on, I'll help you study, then we can play a few video games before you head home," he insists.

And, I've made eye contact with him again. ... Damn it! "Ok, sure."

I follow him back to his place. We settle in on his bed with the books I know I'm going to need for the exam in the morning and the snacks his mother prepared for us. There's just something about the atmosphere in this house. It's so relaxing. Of course, the company's pretty pleasant, too.

I feel safe and comfortable with Tohru-Chan. I suppose I can confide him a little. I tell him the truth about Shimizu, about how she's followed me around since day one, and seems delusional that we're friends or something. "There's more," I say, "I can't prove it, but that wasn't an animal I heard outside my window I heard last night."

"Eh?" Tohru-Chan stiffens, a look of shock sweeping his face. "You don't mean...?"

I nod. "She's out there every night, but doesn't think I see her. But, I have no way of proving it's her." I shiver as I feel Tohru-Chan's hand rest on my shoulder, his arm gently wrapped behind me.

"Have you confronted her about it?" he asks. I shake my head. "Want me to tell her to back off?" he offers.

"No. She'd just deny it, claim she's above that sort of thing," I say, "Then she'd point out the fact that I can't prove it. I doubt that would make her stop, she hasn't stopped following me yet, like I've asked her to. If I'm lucky that's all she'd do."

"So, I'm kind of like the guard dog keeping her at bay?" Tohru-Chan asks. I flinch. _Not intentionally, but it does seem that way. If I say yes, will that make you stop spending time with me?_ I slowly look up at Tohru-Chan. He smiles and ruffles a hand through my hair before pouncing and hugging me. "Maybe I should bark at her the next time I see her try to talk to you, huh?" he laughs. _I'll take that as a 'no'._

I smile. "Get off, idiot," I laugh. I sigh and look out his bedroom window. We're on the top floor. I'm pretty sure this was nothing but attic space until they needed a spare room for the twins to share on the floor below us. "Since I'm confiding in you. There is one more secrete I hope I can trust you with."

"What's that, Natsuno?" Tohru-Chan asks.

"The day you introduced me to Ritsu-Chan, you asked me if there was someone I liked."

Tohru-Chan smiles and nods. "Yeah, so is there?"

I nod, and keep my eyes focused on the tree out the window. "It's not Shimizu, but there is someone. I can't really act on it, though."

"Why not?" Tohru-Chan asked. He began guessing. "She's already got a boyfriend?"

"No."

"She's too old for you? It's not one of the teachers is it!"

"No, and NO!"

"Too young?"

"NO!"

"Out of town?"

Sigh. "No."

"Think she's out of your league?" _BINGO!_ I nod. _Only it's not a she._ "You never know until you try. Someone I know? Maybe I can put in a good word for you?"

"No, that would just be awkward," I laugh. "But, yes, someone you know."

Tohru-Chan puts his hands on his hips. "It's not Ritsu-Chan herself is it?"

"No." A look flashes through his eyes at this reply, giving me a brief moment of hope that he's finally got the picture. _Dude, you've hammered in every possible nail, why can't you hit this one on the head?_

"My sister!?" he exclaims.

"NOoo..." I roll my eyes at him. "Forget I said anything, alright. Stop trying to guess."

He pauses and stares at me for a moment. "It's not even a girl, is it?"

 _FINALLY!_ I look away and nod. "Yeah. Look, if that weirds you out and you want me to leave, I understand. Just say so, and I'll show myself out."

"Ok..." Tohru-Chan says, "So you're not into girls. I guess it would be kind of awkward for me to try and help hook you up with a guy. Especially in this town. No wonder you're not interested in Megumi-Chan." He pats the top of my hand. "Don't worry, your secrete's safe with me."

Ok, not the answer I was expecting. But, then, this is Tohru-Chan. Maybe I should have. I smile at him. "Thanks."

Tohru-Chan flashes me another one of his smiles. "What are best friends for?" He sits quiet for a second then a look of what I thought to be realization flashes on his face. "It's not my brother is it!?" he exclaims.

"NO!" I exclaim, sucker punching his shoulder for the second time today. "Look, I'm not telling you, so just drop it already, will ya?"

"Sorry," he says with a smile, rubbing the back of his head.

I don't know how much time passed, with the two of us just sitting there talking. But I remember blinking twice, then closing my eyes a third time and taking a deep sigh. When I opened my eyes again, however, I find I'd fallen asleep on Tohru-Chan's shoulder, and there's a blanket wrapped around me. "What the hell?"

Tohru-Chan laughs. "Well, you did say you had a hard time getting to sleep last night. I pulled the cover over you so you wouldn't get cold."

"Why didn't you just knock me the hell over?" I ask, rubbing the sleep from my eyes.

"You looked way too comfortable," Tohru-Chan answers with a laugh.


	3. Chapter 3

There's no school tomorrow, but I have a test to prepare for on Monday. I need somewhere to study with peace of mind. So, after classes, I look for Tohru-Chan. "Yo?" I call out.

"Ah, Natsuno, what's up?" he asks, turning and smiling at me.

"I've got a test I need to prepare for on Monday, would it be ok if I come to your place to study for it? Maybe you could help me out with it a little?" I ask.

Tohru-Chan blinks at me. "Gee, Natsuno, you're smarter than I am, ya' know, but sure, if you really want my help, I'd be happy to."

We walk back to his place. I had already told Mom there was a chance I'd go home with him to study and do homework this afternoon when I left out this morning, so there's no need to call her when we get there.

We go upstairs to his room. I take off my coat and tie and lie them aside. Tohru-Chan takes off his coat and tie and hangs them in his closet. He doesn't change clothes, but he does unbutton the first two or three buttons on his shirt. I do my best not to blush or make it obvious that I'm staring at his chest.

Mutou-San comes up to the room with a freshly made batch of homemade mochi and asks if I'll be joining them for dinner. I had only planned to study, then go home, but when the invitation is coming from Tohru-Chan's mother herself, it's hard to turn down.

We each do our homework first, helping one another when needed. Then, I begin studying until Mutou-San calls us for dinner. After the meal, we go back up. I hand Tohru-Chan the books and let him look over the content. He leaves me sitting on his bed, while he takes the book over next to his TV. "Stay here," he says wagging a finger in my face, "No cheating," he winks.

"What are you?" I ask, following him with my eyes.

"You'll see," he laughs, laying on the floor with the book, a few sheets of paper, and a pen. When he returns, he hands me a mock test. I stare at it for a moment. Not because that's what it is, but because I don't think I'd ever actually paid attention to his handwriting before. It's almost professional. He smiles and holds up another sheet of paper, winking at me again. "I've got the answers right here. I'll grade you when you're done."

Just as I finish, there's a loud thunder crash outside and a heavy rain begins. "That came out of nowhere," I say, looking out the window.

"Nah," Tohru-Chan replies, "It's been creeping in for the last twenty minutes, but it didn't seem like it was going to rain this hard."

"I'm SO not walking home in this," I say. Shimizu can wait for me out in the bushes until she catches cold, for all I care.

"You wanna' stay the night?" Tohru-Chan offers. "We don't have school tomorrow, anyway. This is perfect monster movie weather."

"Monster movies?" I ask flatly.

"Aw, c'mon, don't tell me YOU get scared easily?" he teases.

"NO!" I reply. "I just don't watch monster movies. Dad doesn't let that kind of stuff into the house." In fact, I can't recall ever watching a lot of movies or TV. I usually just stick to books.

"What!?" Tohru-Chan exclaims. "Dude, you have no idea what you're missing!"

"If you say so," I sigh. "And what do you mean, 'stay the night?'"

"Ya' know, sleep over? We can invite Tamotsu up and turn it into a boy's night in slumber party." I quietly look at him for a moment. The look on my face gives me a way, I have no idea what he's talking about. He slumps at that realization, his jaw dropping a bit. "Don't tell me?" he asks. "You mean you've never had a sleep over?"

"Never," I reply.

"Ok, that's it," he says, turning for the door. "This is so happening!"

"Wait? Where am I going to sleep if we do this?" I ask. "Where's Tamo-Chan going to sleep for that matter? Back in his room."

"Nah, he can bring up a pillow and blanket from his room and sleep on the floor. There's enough room you and I can share the bed, if need be," he says.

"What?" I blush, suddenly feeling my heart in my throat. "Tohru-Chan? Have you forgotten?" I start to remind him.

He smiles at me. "No, but it's not like you're going to try anything, are you?" he asks, "After all, Tamotsu's going to be in the room, too." Damn, good point. Too risky to do anything if someone else is there. Even so, of course I wouldn't try anything. I respect you too much for that. "Besides, it's not like I'm the guy you like, right?" he adds as he leaves the room. That one stung. I look up at the door as it closes behind him and stare at it for a moment, even after I hear it click shut. That last comment was a sobering, bitter reminder that this is a one-way affair. I tuck my knees to my chest and rest my chin on top of them. Yet, at every turn, whether he means it or not, he baits me into falling more and more in love with him.

A few moments pass and he and Tamotsu come back up to the room. Tamo-Chan has a blanket and pillow in tow, and both are carrying a variety of snacks and drinks. Aoi-Chan peeks in through the door. "Hey, guys, can I at least sit and watch the movie with you?" she asks.

"Sure, Sis," Tamotsu says, come sit next to me. She leaves the door cracked and takes a spot on the floor next to her brother.

Tohru-Chan picks out a movie from his collection and puts it on. Hopping on the bed next to me, he starts the movie. "We'll start with this one," he announces.

"Start?" I ask.

"Tohru-Niisan has at least ten different horror movies sitting on that shelf," Tamotsu states.

"All of which are pretty cheesy," Aoi-Chan adds with a giggle.

"Speak for yourself," Tohru-Chan says, "These things are terrifying."

The twins huddle together during a couple of scenes from the movie, but other than that, they don't give much reaction. I don't react at all. Some of these movies, the plot is ok, but the execution is poor and the make up and special effects are, as Aoi-Chan put it, cheesy. My father taught me there were no such things as ghosts and monsters back when I was really young. So it doesn't scare me to watch this made up stuff about Werewolves and Mummies and other stuff like that. If the 'monster' was a real person, rather than some made up supernatural creature, maybe I would have reacted more. Tohru-Chan, however...

"Kyaah!" he shrieks, during the werewolf transformation. Ok, so the effects on this one's transformation is pretty good, I'll give it that. The actor actually makes it look painful. Still...

"Would you get off me!?" I exclaim. He's wrapped his arms around me and buried his face into my side. Not that I mind him there, but damn, he really keeps sending mixed messages.

"Aren't you scared of it?" he asks, peeking up at me.

"No," I reply, "It's just a movie."

"Yeah, but..." Tohru-Chan starts to argue.

"Tohru-Niisan always gets scared during this scene," Aoi-Chan laughs.

"Always?" I look down at him and frown. "How many times have you seen this thing?"

"Um... I've lost count?" he says sheepishly.

"Enough he knows it by heart and can quote it in his sleep," Tamotsu says.

I frown at him. "And it STILL scares you?" He nods. If it were anyone but him, I'd find that unbelievable. I click my tongue and push him away. "Ridiculous. Get off. What are you a child?"

We watch a couple more movies, and Tohru-Chan gets clingier and clingier as they go. I eventually just get tired of pushing him off, and try to ignore the fact that it's going to take a crowbar to get him off of me once this is all over. Midway through our third movie, Aoi-Chan yawns and gets up. "Well, it's been fun guys," she says, "but I'm heading to bed. Night."

"Night," we all answer her as she leaves the room. She's barely out of the room for two seconds, when we hear her shriek.

"Aoi-Chan?" Tohru-Chan and Tamo-Chan exclaim. Tohru-Chan relinquishes his death grip around my waist and jumps over Tamotsu, sliding to a halt right in front of the closed bedroom door. Tamotsu and I exchange looks, then, quickly follow after.

"Aoi-Chan, what's wrong?" Tohru-Chan asks, flinging the door open.

Peeking out Tamotsu and I see Aoi-Chan sitting on the stairs, staring up at the ceiling. "S-Something just flew in front of my face," she said, holding her hand to her heart.

I reach over and flick on the stairway lights. The offending creature flutters about around the bulb and we all heave a quiet sigh. "Jeez, Aoi-Chan, it's just a big moth," Tamotsu groans.

"I guess the movies made her paranoid," I say.

"Back off, you two," Tohru-Chan scolds us, helping his sister to her feet. "It just startled her is all."

Aoi-Chan blushed and nodded. "I'm sorry, guys. But I wasn't expecting something to just fly at me. I'll be alright now." She kisses Tohru-Chan's cheek, and runs down the stairs, quickly ducking into her room. Judging by the click of her door, she locked it.

"What's going on up there?" Mutou-San asked, coming to the bottom of the stairs.

"It's nothing, Mom," Tohru-Chan said.

"Aoi-Chan just let her imagination run away with her, that's all," Tamotsu said.

"It's nearly 11 pm, shouldn't you kids be going to bed already?" Mutou-San sighed. "At least stop the screaming, alright?"

"Yes ma'am," we answer, the three of us going back into Tohru-Chan's room.

Tohru-Chan shuts the door behind us and leans against it with a sigh. The three of us look at each other in silence for a moment, then start to laugh.

"Imagine Aoi-Chan being scared of a bug," Tamo-Can chuckles.

"I didn't know you could move so fast, Tohru-Chan," I chortle.

"Neither did I," Tohru-Chan laughs. Tohru-Chan turns off the movie with a sigh. "Ok, Mom's right," he states, "Fun's over, it's time for bed." He turns off the light and crawls back onto the bed beside me. I push myself as far against the wall as I can, giving him the rest of the bed to himself. So close, and yet so far away. "Good night," he yawns.

"Good night," we both say.

I roll over in the middle of the night, and open my eyes. For a brief moment, I'm startled, as I nearly forget where I am. I had this problem the first night I slept in my room after moving into Sotoba, too. Seeing Tohru-Chan asleep next to me, I remember I'm sleeping over at his house. I smile as I see his face in the pale moonlight bleeding in through his window. The rain has finally died down to just a slight mist, but the clouds are sparse enough for the moon to shine through.

As I look at him, I'm begging to think that no matter how I look at him, I'll always find him beautiful. His hair frames his face in just the right way, his hands are laying palm up next to his head, and his lips are just slightly pursed. Does he always look like this when he sleeps? I push up with my hands and look over to the side of the bed. Tamotsu's rolled on his side facing away from us, his legs curled in the fetal position, one arm wrapped tight around his pillow, and the other stretched out like the yearner position. I can't see his face, but I'm certain he's asleep. I lean in over Tohru-Chan. I realize how creepy this would seem to him if he woke up and found me so close. I lean in,closer and close my eyes. Just as I'm inches away from ghosting my lips across his, my conscience gets the better of me. I move away, irritated with myself for being such a coward, but simultaneously pleased with my sense of self control. I move back against the wall and snuggle back into the covers. Closing my eyes, I drift back to sleep.

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It's late. I've been studying all afternoon. I'm still determined to get out of this town and back into the city. Movement in the tree line...? I stand up and walk to my window. I thought as much. She's there again, just when I thought I could leave the thing open and enjoy a cool breeze or two. "Natsuno," my mother calls to me, "I've made some tea for you, why don't you take a break, dear?"

"Ok," I reply, sliding the window shut. The tea helps calm my nerves. I return to my room and decide to turn in for the night. I think Shimizu left while I was out, but I'm locking the window, just to be safe.

I'm up and ready to leave early the next morning. I slept pretty good, all things considering. I stop at the bus stop, and turn and look down the main highway. This is the road to freedom, the road back to the city. I'm so tempted to just drop everything and run straight down it, back to the city. I turn and stare in that direction. I take a few steps away from the bus sign but stop. For some reason, I can't will myself to move any further. Something... Something's holding me back.

I hear footsteps approaching behind me. Someone stops at the sign and rummages through a bag. So far, they've not said anything. It's obviously not Tohru-Chan, he'd be hanging around my neck already. Maybe it's Masao in a really bad mood, and he'd rather just pretend I'm not here, or just some other random classmate.

"Morning Yuuki-Kun," the voice cracks against my ears. "You're looking south again, huh?" I feel her body heat as she tiptoes her way toward me. "The direction of the city..." Great, HER again... "You're ignoring me again." Ya' think? "Oh well... After all, you don't like me." I refuse to move and look at her. Maybe if this one time I can make it through the entire interaction without so much as acknowledging her presence, she'll finally take the hint. She's fishing for a reaction, almost sounds like she's trying to guilt trip me into speaking to her. A car passes us and she's silent for a moment. "The bus isn't here yet, huh?" I clench my hand, but don't answer. Times like this I wish I had a pair of headphones I can carry with me. At least then I'd have an excuse for ignoring her without seeming like such a jerk. Another pause, then. "I can't wait to leave this village." Her voice sounds so tiny.

I turn and look over my shoulder at her. It's almost as if she read my mind. I've never heard her express her own desire to leave the village. I shouldn't have looked. Her whole face has lit up. It's like I gave her some kind of new found hope. I think it's the first time I've ever actually looked at her while she was talking. I quickly look away again.

That was Monday. Some people moved into the European style mansion that was recently built up on the hill in the middle of the night the other night. Maybe now this town will find something other than me and my parents to gossip about They seem to be rich, if I'm lucky, they'll have a son close to our age, and Shimizu will find him the better pick.

It's Thursday night now. She's not outside my window. In fact, all the men in the village have gone out looking for her, after her parents said she hadn't come home. Even Dad went out with them. Early Friday morning, still dark out. I hear Dad coming in. They found her out in the woods and Dr. Ozaki's on his way to perform a house call. They way Dad described the scene when they found her.

She'd been in a yellow dress with black skull and crossbones on the bottom with spaghetti strap shoulders and a goodly amount of exposed clevage. Her hair was pulled into her trademark pigtails, a pair of high-heeled sandals that came up to her calves with spiked bands wrapped around them. It almost sounds like she was planing to go out clubbing or something. When they found her, her eyes were glossed over her arms sprawled above her head, one leg laid flat, the other bent up at the knee.

... It almost suggests rape. I can't stand her, but even I wouldn't wish that on her. They say there was a small drop where they found her and believe she simply slipped on the heels of her shoes and fell. I hope that's all it is.

Monday again. I'm awoken by the sound of my mother knocking on my door. I sit up, rub the sleep from my eyes and go to the door. WHAT!? Shimizu's dead? I should be ashamed of myself, but the first thought in my head is that I don't have to sleep with the blinds shut anymore.

Once more, I find myself staring down the main highway. I want so bad to leave this place. In hindsight, I'm glad I never told anyone but Tohru-Chan she'd been spying on me. I honestly don't believe anyone would ever believe me. And if I had come forward, only for this to happen... I shudder at the mere thought of where their minds would go. Just a week ago, she said she wanted to leave this village. But I don't think this is what she had in mind.

I need to be getting home soon. Mother and Father feel we're obligated to attend the funeral long enough to give our condolences to the family. I can't stand here, staring off toward the city, wasting time in my own dreams.

"TAROU, WAAAIIIIT!" I hear a voice shouting behind me. "TAROU!"

"Gyah!" I exclaim as I'm suddenly pounced from behind by a slobbering, yet love able mutt. "Hey, cut that out!"

"KYAAAA! Tarou, please don't do that!" Ritsu-Chan exclaims, rushing up and pulling the 'vicious attack dog' off of me.

"You really should keep that monster on a leash," I tease, pulling a handkerchief out of my pocket and cleaning off my face where he licked me.

"I'm so sorry about that, Natsuno!" Ritsu-Chan laughs, trying to fit the collar back on the dog. "I just changed his collar, but it's still too big and he slipped right off. Tarou must really like you, he doesn't run to just anyone like that."

I smile at her. "No harm done."

"How's your leg, Natsuno? The one that was hurting when you were growing up?" she suddenly asks.

I see, she must have thought that was why I was out here. "I'm sorry, Ritsu-Chan, could you please stop doing that?" I ask.

"Huh?"

"Calling my by my first name, I mean. Yuuki's fine."

"You don't like your first name?"

"It sounds like a girl's."

"I think it's nice and refreshing. Did your mother give it to you?"

"My father. It reminded him of a noble family from a long time ago, or something like that."

"Your father must be quite the romantic."

We begin talking. I ask her why she never left the village to find work at bigger hospitals with better pay and resources. That's when she reveals to me she'd been engaged, but when her fiance` wanted to leave, she refused. She'd grown up here, and all her family and friends were here. She couldn't bear to leave them all behind, besides, her mother and sister were reliant upon her income. "This town's surrounded by death." She's referring to the trees that surround it which are used to make grave markers, and maybe to the large population of elderly people. "And buried in tradition." And I'm pretty sure that's revering to the Ozaki Clinic and the Temple, the two oldest still-standing buildings in the entire town, run by two of the three families with the highest social standings. "When I was your age, there use to be a saying, there's only two kinds of people who stay in Sotoba, those too stupid to leave, and those too stuck to move. I guess I fall into that first category," she says with a soft chuckle. As she says this, she turns her attention away. The hazy look in her eyes suggests she's thinking of her fiance` at the moment. Maybe she regrets turning him down. I bite back the urge to ask her if Tohru-Chan knows about her prior engagement. I don't want to start behaving like a jackass. If I ruin his chances with her, he really will never want to talk to me again.

As we talk, I realize I'm doing a lot of nothing but complaining, but I'm only being honest with her about how I feel. Born and bred in the city, this small town is more of an inconvenience compared to what I'm use to, and EVERYONE'S always watching what you're doing, and reporting on everyone else, like some big conspiracy. It's like a mob mentality, where you can't afford to be yourself. If only I could tell Tohru-Chan what I really feel, without running the risk of the entire town turning against both of us for being unconventional... As she and I walk down the street, I hear a couple of the old people who're always gossiping whisper to one another.

"Oh, look, it's Nurse Kunihiro."  
"Isn't that the atelier boy with her?"  
"Are they going out together?"  
"No, she's with the Mutou boy!"

I click my tongue. "THERE! My point in case!" I scoff, looking away. Damn it all! Remind me who the hell I'm walking with, why don't you, ya' old farts? Suddenly I'm not feeling so cozy carrying on this conversation with her any more. Ritsuko giggles. "What's so funny?"

"It seems that way for you, because your family came from the city, and you're outsiders. Not that long ago, you were the talk of the town. Now, the talk are these new folks that moved into Kanemasa, and these deaths. It's rare for people to move into Sotoba, and I can't recall how long it's been since we've had so many deaths at once," she says, her demeanor changing to sorrow.

Oh, that's right! Crap! I almost forgot. May as well head straight there, it's on the way. "I have to go this way. I'm supposed to go to Shimizu Megumi's funeral."

"Me...Gumi-Chan..." she says, stopping in her tracks, and hanging her head. "Ozaki-Sensei is really taking it hard about her."

"Huh?"

Ritsu-Chan shakes her head. "She'd merely collapsed in the mountains where they found her, and when Ozaki-Sensei checked on her, he diagnosed her with simple anemia, yet, that was Friday, only two days later, she passed away, and her parents refused an autopsy. He was left with no choice but to list the cause of death as acute heart failure."

We chat a little more, then I turn to leave, as she leads her dog back home. "Acute Heart Failure, huh?"

Huh...? What's with this girl? It looks as though she started crying the moment she saw me. Ack! She's coming at me? What? Who...? Oh, it's that cute, mousy little pig-tailed girl with the braids who was always tagging behind Shimizu. What does she want with me?

She stops just inches away from me, slaps her hands on her knees, tears streaming down her face, she bows. "TH-THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING, YUUKI-KUN!"

"HUH?" Ok, NOW I'm confused.

She wipes away the tears, and straitens herself up. "Forgive me. I'm Megumi-Chan's best friend, Tanaka Kaori. Megumi-Chan and I grew up together. You ARE Yuuki Natsuno-Kun, right?" I give a quiet, yet still somewhat confused nod. "Um... Would you please accept something Megumi-Chan left behind?" Oh, so that's why she's hiding her hands behind her back? "It's just a small keepsake, but..."

I shake my head. "No, I'm sorry, but I can't."

"Huh?" Kaori blinks at me. A chill runs through me. You'd think I'd slapped this poor girl in the face by the looks of her.

"It wouldn't be right of me," I explain, "My parents and hers are colleagues, and she and I were classmates. Beyond that, I barely knew her." This sudden feeling running through me. Even with her dead and about to be buried, it feels like she's following me. "I wasn't particularly close to her, and I'm not staying long." The poor girl looks positively mortified. Why does it feel like I'm breaking HER heart by telling her I won't accept whatever this item is of Megumi's? It's probably that stupid golden charm bracelet she tried to show me. "Keep it yourself, if it's something so important." Unless it's pictures of me or her, or both of us, in which case you're welcome to burn it, for all I care. "Sorry, but I'm going home now."

"But, Megumi's funeral procession is about to start?" the girl whimpers.

"I'm not obliged to attend the burial, either," I state. I'm trying to be cordial, but there's just no way to be graceful about bowing out of something like this for someone who made you feel so insecure in your own home, short of ruining everyone else's image of them. Not when everyone else has high expectations and preconceptions of you. Who knows what all Shimizu had told that girl about me and her?

I head straight home and lock myself in my room. My skin feels like it's crawling, and my stomach is in knots. I'm torn. I know I don't have to worry about her anymore, and yet, I feel guilty for feeling so relieved of that fact. I didn't want to be rid of her like this.


	4. Chapter 4

Tuesday night. I'm sitting, studying. A breeze rustles the branches of the trees outside and out of habit, I look up. She's been dead and gone for days, yet I'm still on edge. I still look out to that fir tree just past the raspberry bushes where she used to hide at the sound of every leaf rustle. Ironically, I had bought a Walkman with headphones, just after that last encounter with her at the bus stop. I've started using them while I study, but I can still hear the wind rustle in the trees over it.

I put a hand to my head and heave an audible sigh. "Oh, gimme a break!" _Of course that kind of thing would creep me out._ Maybe I should have told someone else, after all. I think I may be suffering some kind of psychological trauma I didn't realize I'd been falling into.

_She was just as selfish as everyone else in this village. They assign roles and expect you to live up to them here. She knew her love was unrequited. ... Every bit as much as I know mine is too. At least I don't stoop to stalking. How stupid was she to not realize I already knew she was there? How many times did I have to ask her to go away, then finally start ignoring her altogether for her to realize I'd never grow those feelings for her that she wanted? This isn't some romantic comedy. Real romance doesn't work that way. It's not like it is in the movies. It..._

My thoughts are broken as a chill runs over me. My vision flashes and in the darkness outside, I see two large round orbs of light, that quickly fade. I freeze in place and stare out the window. _Wh... What was that...? Was someone watching me!?_ I stand up and quickly flick the window shut, locking it. "Impossible." I sit back down, staring at the window, suddenly finding myself wishing Tohru-Chan were next to me. I always feel safe when he's around. But, I can't always go running to him. I shut the blinds and turn off the light, curling up in bed. I decide to keep my head phones on and turn up the music. Maybe I'm just getting worked up from all the stress of studying. Maybe the music will calm me down.

Days pass. Thursday night already, and I'm still going to bed with the shutters closed. I'm having a harder and harder time sleeping at night. The sensation that someone's out there watching me is getting stronger, even when I know there's no one there. Shimizu's dead, damn it! So then, why...? WHY does it still feel like someone is watching me?

A whole week passes. It's Thursday morning, now, I'm on my way to school by foot, and damn, this late August heat is getting to me. There's still puddles of water on the ground from where it rained two days ago. The extra moisture's just making things muggy, and the heat worse.

I'm almost to the next bus stop. Maybe I'll be lucky enough not to miss it this time. "Oooi, Natsuno!"

There's a voice I haven't heard in a couple of days, now. I haven't exactly been hunting him down in my spare time. I don't want to seem clingy. I brace myself for being pounced, only to hear a car horn. I turn and look. "Yo...? Woah? Tohru-Chan?"

"Where are you going all dressed up in your uniform? We're still in the middle of summer break, you know!"

"I actually need to go to school today," I answer, approaching the car. I'm still surprised to see Tohru-Chan behind the wheel. "When did you get your driver's licence?"

Tohru-Chan smiles and chuckles. "I'm still on my permit. Can't drive without a licensed driver in the vehicle," he explains, as he leans out of the car. He points his thumb over his shoulder. "Ritsu-Chan here is supervising, and giving me lessons."

 _Ritsu-Ch...?_ I look over. How had I not even noticed she was in the car? Oh, right, I was blinded by the sun bouncing off those gorgeous messy honey brown locks of his. Ritsu's sitting in the front passenger seat, with Tarou in her lap. She smiles and waves. "Hi there!"

"Ah, hello," I greet her. Knowing what I know about her now, it seems sort of awkward to see the two of them together. I'm pretty sure I'd seen an even deeper seeded affection for Ozaki-Sensei when she'd started talking about him, than I had noticed when she was talking about her absent fiance`. Yet, Tohru-Chan is still clearly head over hills for her.

"Why are you walking on such a hot day?" Tohru-Chan asks, reaching to the back and unlocking the back door. "C'mon, man, get in, get in! I'll drive you. Heck, I'll even take you home afterwards, if you want me to."

"Thanks," I say, climbing into the vehicle behind Tohru-Chan. I close the door and take a breath. The AC feels good. Ritsu-Chan has to hold Tarou down to keep the mutt from jumping in the back seat with me.

Ritsu-Chan looks back at me. "So, why were you walking?"

"The buses only come once every hour, so I thought I could walk to the next stop. But it passed by before I got there."

Tohru-Chan laughs. "That's happened to me before, too."

"But that's a three hour walk from the village to the high school in Mizobe right?"

I nod and lean back in the seat, loosing my tie and unbuttoning the first button or too on my shirt to soak in some of the cool air. "Trains don't even run here. It sucks big time," I complain.

"That's why I started getting my folks to drive me. Once I get my license, I'll drive us both from then on, how about that?" Tohru-Chan offers. I don't give a verbal reply. "Natsuno?"

"I didn't get enough sleep last night, so I'm really exhausted," I excuse myself as I close my eyes.

Tohru-Chan looks over his shoulder into the passenger seat, concern written across his face. "Not enough sleep? You OK?" He knows that I had trouble sleeping on nights when Shimizu was outside my window.

**He and I had had a conversation the last time I was at his house. Just a day or two after her funeral.**

**"So," he asked, "Are you sleeping better, lately?"**

**I gave him a silent nod. "Yeah. Much better."**

**"I probably shouldn't say this, but I guess you're glad she's gone?" he asked.**

**"You're right," I scolded him. "You shouldn't say that. Especially where other people can hear you. I wanted her to leave me alone. I never said I wanted her to drop dead. I had trouble sleeping the first night after her funeral." Tohru-Chan blinked at me. But before he asked why, I explained it to him, "I felt guilty that when I learned she was gone, the first thing I thought was that I could start sleeping with the window open. I shouldn't have, but I looked at her death as a form of freedom." I shuddered. "See, I can't even say it without sounding like a jerk. I should be feeling sorry for her family, not acting like that. Even so, it was just that first night. After that, I've been sleeping well enough."**

**Tohru-Chan sighed and sat on the bed next to me, placing a hand on my shoulder. "I can understand feeling conflicted like that, Natsuno," he said softly. "I can't relate, I admit. But I don't think anyone in your shoes would feel any different. She never did like me, no matter how hard I tried. I can't say I'll miss her, but I do feel sorry for her friends and family." I smiled and nodded. Somehow, he always knew just the right thing to say. It was two days after that conversation, that I began closing my blinds again.**

Ritsu-Chan snaps a finger in his face. "Hey, look in front of you! There may be kids playing out by the streets, you know."

My eyes jerk awake as I remember those orbs I'd seen in the darkness a week ago and a chill runs through me. I can't tell them the truth. They'd probably just laugh. Hell, I can't even tell my folks, they'll just tell me I'm over stressing myself with my studies. "It's nothing," I lie, "I just couldn't stop thinking about graduating as fast as possible and getting out of this village."

"Still on about that?" Tohru-Chan asks, almost sounding disappointed. This forces me to open my eyes, locking them on the back of his head for a moment. What was that all about?

"Hey, Tohru, isn't that your brother?" Ritsu-Chan asks. _'Tohru'?_ So they're already on that level of intimacy with each other, are they? Had she referred to him without any honorifics the first I met her? I don't remember.

Tohru-Chan rolls down the window and honks the horn. "Ooi! Tomatsu! Masao-Kun!"

Tomatsu turns and gets excited when he sees the car. He catches Masao by the wrist and pulls him. Reading his lips, he's clearly saying, "Let's hitch a ride the rest of the way!" Masao smiles and starts to follow but then stops. His eyes dead pan on me and he looks away. Jeez, dude, what did I ever do to you? It's not like I killed your cat or something. He and Tamo-Chan start to argue, and Masao yells at Tamotsu about how he can ride with us himself if he likes, then turns and runs off. Tamo-Chan, being every bit as great a guy as his brother, shrugs at us, then chases after Masao.

"WHAT was that all about?" Ritsu-Chan asks.

Tohru-Chan gives a slight chuckle. "For some reason, Masao really hates Natsuno. Although, I don't think Natsuno cares either way, right?" Was he just fishing for an answer to the question of who it is I like? I reach over the back of the seat and hit him hard on the top of the head with my fist. "Ouch! Natsuno, what the hell!?"

"No, I don't give a damn what he thinks," I grumble, "And how many times do I have to tell you not to call me by my first name! I'm not looking to make friends." I lean back in my seat, close my eyes and sigh. _At least, that use to be the case. Getting into this car was a mistake._

Tohru-Chan looks back over his shoulder at me. "Could you at least HUMOR your parents while you are here and stop making everything so difficult for them and yourself by pushing others away?" he asks.

"Natsuno, please, don't hit the driver, it's dangerous," Ritsu-Chan sighs, looking at me. She looks back to Tohru-Chan. "And you, eyes back on the road! If I have to tell you again, I'm going to make you pull over, and I'll drive the rest of the way!"

"Yes ma'am," we both answer, like a couple of scolded children.

Tohru-Chan drops me off at the school. I go in and attend the study hall. There were a couple times I nearly dozed off and had to jerk myself awake. The instructor caught me at one point, and even scolded me about how I had come to this study hall of my own free choice, and if I were going to sleep through it, I should have just stayed home and done so on my own free time. I don't know what Tohru-Chan and Ritsu-Chan did while I was in there, but they're already sitting outside waiting on me when I leave. Don't tell me they just sat there the entire time? Now I'm kind of wary about crawling into that back seat. But, since he took the time to be here for me, I decide to climb in anyway.

Tohru-Chan starts to drive away. "Ne, Natsuno, I've got to take Ritsu-Chan home first, if that's alright?" he says.

"But, then you won't have a supervisor in the car."

"Yeah, I know," he says flinching, "But, we'll be passing her house on the way anyway."

"Yeah, ok."

He pulls up to the Kunihiro household and lets Ritsu-Chan out, then asks me to hop in the front seat. We all say our goodbyes and Tohru-Chan waits until Ritsu-Chan goes inside before driving away.

"So, do you want me to take you home?" he asks.

"No, you don't need to be on the road any longer than necessary without a licensed driver, just to be safe, and that's out of your way," I say. "Let's just go back to your place. I'll walk from there, it's no big deal. It's cooler now anyway."

"WALK?" he exclaims, "In the dark?"

I blink and look out at the sky. I hadn't even paid attention to the natural lighting. It's nearly sunset. Hell, if I feel like a prisoner in my own house at night, right now, how will I handle trying to walk home by myself through it? _Damn!_ "I guess you have a point." Well, it would be a good excuse to spend a little more time with him. "Just go back to your house, and I'll call my dad to come pick me up from there."

"OR," Tohru-Chan suggests, "I can ask Mom and Dad if it's alright for you to stay the night?"

"Dude! How many times do I gotta' repeat myself?" I start to ask.

"You're not looking to make friends?" Tohru-Chan interrupts me. "Why? Do you think that'll make going back to the city easier? Besides, for as much as you keep saying that, you haven't exactly gone out of your way to prove it."

I click my tongue. Damn, he saw right through me. "Yeah," I admit. Propping my elbow on the side of the car and pressing my cheek against my knuckles. "If I make friends or get into a relationship with someone, then, I'll have something here holding me back, making it harder to leave. It's better if I just push everyone away, that way I won't have anyone to miss, and there'll be no one to miss me either."

"Your parents would miss you," Tohru-Chan pointed out.

"That's different," I say, "They're my parents, they'd miss me even if we'd stayed in the city and I moved into a college dorm somewhere."

Tohru-Chan frowns. "Is that how it is in the big city?" he asks.

"Huh?"

"So many people out there they just forget about you over time after you move away, no matter how close you are?" he says. "It's not like that, here in Sotoba. Sure, there's a lot of people, and the elderly and those who don't see you every day may forget you when you're gone. But those of us who see you on a day to day basis, we'll never forget you. It's rare, but not unheard of for people to move away from here. I remember a lot of classmates who've left over the years."

"Yeah, but you're friends with everybody," I point out. "I think Shimizu was the only exception."

Tohru-Chan comes to a complete stop at the stop sign. "True. But you want to know something? I sort of hate to admit it, but..." He looks at me. "Like you said, I'm friends with everybody. My mother's teased me my whole life about how I've never met a stranger before. But as far as best friends go..." He stops and shifts his eyes up and to the side, as if he's thinking, trying to remember something. "No, I'm sure of it. Until you came along, there isn't the first person I've ever called my best friend."

My heart and stomach both just took a hit. There go those butterflies, all over again. I look away, hoping I'm not blushing. "I don't know why you'd choose me for that," I mumble. Great, now I know I've been friend zoned. As I think about it, I've never been as close to anyone, or as comfortable with anyone as I am with him. No, I guess I've never really had a best friend until he came along, either. Tohru-Chan doesn't give a verbal answer. I hear a stifled giggle and notice a slight bit of movement from him out of my periphrial vision. I don't even have to look to know he's grinning one of his mischievous Cheshire Cat grins from ear to ear. Well, if it gives me an excuse to spend time with him, then the title of 'Best Friend' is better than nothing, I suppose. I glance back over at him and give a weak smile. "Alright," I agree, "I don't guess it'll hurt to ask your folks."

Tohru-Chan turns on the radio and we spend a good portion of the drive sitting quietly, until he catches sight of something in his rear-view mirror. "Uh-oh...?" he says.

I had started to doze off, but this snaps me awake. "What's wrong?"

He points at the rear-view. "There's an officer behind us."

"His lights and siren aren't on," I state, looking in the mirror. "They don't know who's driving this car do they?"

Tohru-Chan shakes he head. "No, but."

"Then they don't know you're a student driver driving without a licensed supervisor in the dark on roads running through the mountains," I state, driving home the point he should have realized before dropping Ritsu-Chan off in the first place. He flinches. I smile. "Just relax man."

"Huh?" he blinks at me.

I smile. "Just act natural. Don't speed up, don't slow down. Obey the signs and play it cool. Right now he's just behind us by coincidence. So, just drive like you would if Ritsu-Chan were still sitting here instead of me." Tohru-Chan nods. I pause for a moment, then add, "Just keep any fantasies you have about what you'd do with her if this thing ran out of gas to yourself!"

Tohru-Chan sulls up at me for that one, blushing a little. "Very funny!" he says sarcastically. Damn, he's gorgeous, even when he's blushing. I've got it worse than I thought.

We drive a little further, and the cop turns onto another road. Tohru-Chan heaves a sigh that almost sounds as though he'd been holding his breath ever since he first saw the patrol car in the rear-view mirror. "See?" I say, playfully nudging him, "I told you there's nothing to worry about."

We arrive at the Mutou household, and, unsurprisingly, both of his parents are perfectly alright with the idea of my staying the night. Forgetting about calling my folks to tell them where I am, he catches my wrist and drags me upstairs to his bedroom. I settle in on his bed with a magazine and he turns on his game system.

He talks me into playing a few two player games with him. I'm not as good at them as he is, so naturally, he beats me every time. Finally, he puts in a two player co-op game. Unfortunately, I suck at that too. After loosing all my lives, the third time in a row, I relinquish the controller and tell him I'm done, returning to the magazine. It's dark outside now, but still not very late in the evening. Maybe 7:30?

Tohru-Chan goes back to his one player games, while I start reading. Suddenly the door flings open. It takes me a moment to draw my attention away from the magazine and realize that's not some magically animated stick that just ran into the room shouting at the top of it's lungs, but Masao. What's he doing here?

"Tohru-Chan, have you heard? Madam Nao of the contractor firm has..." He sees me sitting on the bed and falls dead silent.

"Yo, Masao, what's up?" Tohru-Chan asks. I'm sure he can feel the thick tension oozing through the air now that Masao's seen me. Damn, this place was pleasant just two seconds ago, it's like this guy just knows how to suck all the energy out of the room with his very existence. But, this is Tohru-Chan's place. I'll try to be civil, as long as Masao does. I notice how the scrawny snake is glaring at me, and simply look away, pushing my nose back into my magazine. Don't mind me, dude. Just act like I'm not here, and I'll do the same. "What about Madam Nao?" Torhu-Chan speaks up, drawing Masao's attention away from me.

As if he suddenly remembers what he was originally starting to say, Masao continues, "Oh, right! She's passed away." Really? You hate me enough to forget that you'd come up here to tell him someone you both know died? That's like, pretty important, isn't it?

"What!?" Tohru-Chan exclaims, in surprise, nearly dropping his controller. "She's not that old, though, is she? Are you sure it was her?"

"I saw the funeral procession earlier this afternoon," Masao said, "It's definitely her!" He went off on some tangent about death being exciting, and how it could be any one of us next. Dude? Seriously? Your creepy factor just went way off the scale. He wraps his arms around himself. "Maybe there's some kind of strange disease spreading through the village. Alot of people have been dying lately, and not just the old farts. Shimizu's dead too..." His eyes widen for a second. I feel a shiver run through me at the mere mention of my late pink haired stalker's name. In spite of my better judgement, I glance up from the magazine to find his cold eyes locked on to me in a death glare. "Speaking of Shimizu..." I try not to visibly shudder at how poisonous his voice sounds, and pretend I'm still lost in the magazine. "Natsuno, you're rather cold-hearted, aren't you?" This forces me to snap my attention onto the scrawny little punk. I don't know which has upset me more at this point, the tone of his voice, the fact that she's becoming the current topic, or the fact that HE of all people just called me by my name. "You rejected something Megumi-Chan left behind for you, didn't you?" HOW does he know about that?

"Eh?" Tohru-Chan blinks and turns and looks at me. "Natsuno, is that true?"

I glare at Masao. _You have no idea what that pink haired little trollop put me through, don't you dare make me out to be the bad guy in this!_  "You have no consideration whatsoever or maybe you just lack emotions?" You're one to talk. "How worrying. Normally, when someone so young dies, nobody would reject something the poor child left behind, right?"

I try not to shiver as Masao inches his way towards me. I try to look away. "So what if she was young or old, or whatever?" I ask. "Like you said, for all we know, we could also be dead tomorrow."

"We can't die just like that!" Masao exclaims.

What? You were just saying yourself, not ten seconds earlier...! Oh, whatever! "Really? It's just a matter of probabilities."

Masao leans over me. As close as he is, I'm thankful I have the magazine between us to keep his breath from hitting me directly in the face. "But what if you died tomorrow, huh?"

"I believe you should live your life in a way that assures you have no regrets in death."

Masao stands up and points a finger at me. "Then if people disrespected your death, you'd be happy about it!?" Honestly, I'm surprised Mutou-San and Mutou-Kun haven't come up here to see what all the yelling is about. This room must be better sound proofed than I thought.

I pull the magazine closer. There's only three people I can think my death would mean anything to. It was so much easier when that number was only two. My hands clench the magazine a little tighter and I feel my skin crawl. Up until now, I'd seen this room as a safe haven for so long. Now, even here, I'm finding myself with my back to the wall. "If I'm dead..." I start to reason. "Whether I'm fine with it or not, I wouldn't know. What would I care? The funeral's for them, not for me. All that's left is to become part of the wilderness. Dust to dust."

"No way!" Masao shrieks, "Poor Megumi-Chan! How can you disrespect her like that? How can you just ignore her final wishes? She must be crying in her grave now! She might grow to hate you so much she'll come back and haunt you!"

I flinch, my eyes snapping back on Masao. The music on Tohru-Chan's game makes an abrupt stop, as if he's finally hit the pause button. But I can't see what he's doing. Right now, my vision is tunneled in on Masao as every hair on my body stands on end. Once more, those red orbs flash in the back of my brain. I slam the magazine down on the bed. I'm tired of playing civil. "OH GROW THE HELL UP!" I scold him. "That's SO unoriginal! There's no golden castles in the sky, no coming back from the grave, no such things as ghosts. Once you're dead, you're dead! That's all there is to it!" My father's words, not mine. Honestly, I'm not sure what I believe. My parents didn't fill my head with horror stories, fairy-tales, and religion. I grew up listening to classic composers and being read school books for bedtime. The only fiction I ever truly got had come from whatever the schools had us read. I had never even touched a game console or seen my first horror movie until I started visiting with Tohru-Chan. Can you imagine my first grade teacher's frustrations when I argued the irrationalization of a talking rabbit that lives on the moon? "Besides, I think the only reason you're all hung up on this issue is because she didn't leave it behind for you. Who the hell told you about that anyway?"

Masoa hisses and starts to lunge at me. "No, no, NO! You move here and start giving me this kind of shit!?" He reaches for me but Tohru-Chan catches hold of him. Tohru-Chan's bigger and stronger than Masao, but at the moment, all of Masao's rage is giving even Tohru-Chan a bit of a struggle to hold him back. "You're just an outsider! What do you know?"

"Masao, that's enough!" Tohru-Chan scolds.

"What!? Tohru-Chan, why are you on his side? You know I'm right. You liked Megumi-Chan, too, didn't you? He's the one at fault!" Masao insists.

Tohru-Chan closes his eyes and sighs. "She and I weren't close," he admits. "I understand how you feel, and I'm sorry. But Natsuno has his reasons." Tohru-Chan sighs, he looks past Masao at me. The look on his face assures me he won't give away my secret. Jeez, it feels dirty calling it that, but in a town like this, that's how it has to be. "He didn't like her the same way she liked him. He's got someone waiting for him back in the city. He does appear cold hearted, yes. But he speaks well and he's remained completely calm and impartial, hasn't he?"

Masao wrenches himself away from Tohru-Chan, pushing him back in the process. A look of hurt and betrayal sweeps across Masoa's face. "You ARE taking his side," he hisses. "I'M GOING HOME!" With that, he storms out of the room.

"I appreciate you not telling him the truth," I say, slumping against the wall, "But you didn't have to lie with that bit about someone waiting for me back in the city, you know?"

Tohru-Chan stands silent for a moment, as if he realizes he's just lost a friend with his actions. I'm exhausted by this point. Physically, from the lack of sleep last night, being awake all day long, and walking this morning. Mentally, from all the studying and now from dealing with this crap. I'm sorry I'm the cause of hurt in one of Tohru-Chan's friendships, but I didn't ask him to come to my rescue. Tohru-Chan turns back to me, with a nervous smile on his face. "Natsuno, you're younger than him, but you've got a quicker wit. You could have been a little nicer. And when were you going to tell me you turned down something of Megu... Huh!?" I'm already nodding off. "Hey!? I'm talking to you." He towers over me, hands on his hips.

I lean back against the wall and force myself to stay awake. "Sorry. I didn't mean to loose it like that. But... Shimizu... He just struck a cord with me that I couldn't help reacting to."

Tohru-Chan sighs and ruffles a hand through my hair. "You wanna' talk about it?" he asks.

"Not really."

"Natsuno? Are you sure you're ok?"

I nod. "Yeah, I'm fine." My eyes slip closed again. "Damn, I totally forgot to call my folks to tell 'em I'm staying over tonight." I'm too tired to even make the effort to get up and call. Instead, I flop over on the bed and pass out cold.

I just barely hear Tohru-Chan complaining. "Hey, that's my bed!" Everything goes dark and quiet. I suddenly feel myself enveloped in a gentle warmth and I return to consciousness enough to just faintly hear Tohru-Chan say something about covering up and a summer flu going around. It may be my imagination out of wishful thinking, but I could almost swear I feel him ruffle a hand through my hair, before rubbing his hand down my back in gentle circles. Imagining it or not, it feels good. All the malice that came into the room with Masoa has left. It's just as pleasant as it was before. I'm comfortable again. I'm safe here. I'm always safe with Tohru-Chan. I fall back into a deep sleep, this time nothing seems to be able to stir me from it.

When I wake up, the next day, Tohru-Chan's asleep in the floor next to the bed, his head resting on the edge, his arms wrapped around his head. "Hey?" I groan, gently poking him. He gives a soft moan and slowly flutters his gorgeous honey brown eyes open. I think this is the first time I've ever seen him hazed with sleep, he's usually awake before I am when I sleep over. "Why didn't you move me and take your bed back?"

"You're too heavy to move," he teases.

"What!?" I exclaim, trying not to blush. Does that mean he tried?

Tohru-Chan laughs. "Calm, down, Natsuno, I'm teasing. You said you'd been having trouble sleeping again. You just looked so comfortable, I didn't want to disturb you." He propped his head up on his elbow. "So, you can't sleep at your house? You wanna' talk about it? You know you can tell me anything, man."

I stop as I consider the idea of telling him. I open my mouth, but stop. No, I may be able to tell him anything, but I'm sure he'll make fun of me for this one. _Well, ALMOST anything._ "No, man," I sigh, "It's nothing. Hey, did you ever call my folks?" Tohru-Chan nods. "Thanks."

"No problem, man," Tohru-Chan answers. He stays propped on his elbow and smiles at me. "There really wasn't any need to, though."

"Huh?"

He smiles. "Koide-San told me she and Yuuki-Kun always assume you're over here when you don't come straight home, and that there's a good chance you'll stay the night if so."

"I see," I say as I get up.

"Huh? Hey, where ya' goin'? You're not heading home just yet, are you?" Tohru-Chan asks.

"No, not yet," I assure him. I try not to laugh as I tell him I'm just headed for the bathroom. "I don't have anything planned for today, so I can hang around for a little while." I leave the room and when I come back, Tohru-Chan is just finishing making his bed.

"Hey, you know those people who recently moved into Kanemasa?" he asks.

"Yeah, what about them?" I yaun. I look at him for a moment, then sigh. "Oh, come on now, don't tell me you're going to tell me some kind of 'juicy gossip' you heard about them? Tohru-Chan, I thought you were better than that."

"No, nothing like that!" Tohru-Chan assures me. "Actually, I met one of them last night."

"Really?"

He nods as he flops down on the bed, rubbing his neck. I wonder if it's bothering him because of the way he slept? Hell it's his bed, he could have crawled in next to me again, for all I cared. "Yeah, he was nice, but seemed a little weird. Maybe it's just the clothes he was wearing. They sort of looked like they may be big city fashion. The way he had his hair styled, it almost reminded me of Kitsune ears." Tohru-Chan puts his fingers above his head on either side to give me an idea, but it looks more like an adorable pair of bunny ears than Kitsune ears on him.

"And you're telling me all this why?" I ask.

"I invited him over to visit sometime," Tohru-Chan announces, propping back on his arms and crossing his legs. "I thought about it after I came back inside, if he's from the big city, like you are, maybe you'd like to meet him?"

I raise an eyebrow. "You're not trying to play match maker are you?" I accuse.

"No!" Tohru-Chan laughs, "Not unless you want me to?" He takes one look at my face and knows the answer to that question is a flat out 'No'. He laughs. "Relax, Natsuno. I just thought maybe the two of you might find you have something in common and maybe you'd enjoy having someone else from the city you could talk to."

"Alright, if he ever comes by, give me a call," I nod.

I stay until just an hour after lunch, then head home.


	5. Chapter 5

For the next few nights, that feeling of being watched while at home takes over me, and I'm forced to lock my window and pull down the shades again. I don't know what's wrong with me. I had hoped that after a night at Tohru-Chan's, it would all go away. But now, it feels stronger, more malicious than ever. I toss and turn all night long Sunday night. Unable to shake the feeling someone's watching. At one point, I sit up and look toward the window and my eyes grow wide.

Those orbs. Closer together, and smaller, but so much brighter. Right there at my window. They're on the outside. But definitely there, and it feels as though someone's gaze is focused right on me. My breath hitches as I make out a faint silhouette. Female with... pigtails...? _SHIMIZU!? No! No, it can't be! She's dead! She's dead and can't come back!_

I close my eyes and shake my head. When I look again, the orbs and shadow are gone, but the sensation that I'm being watched is still there. _Ok... Ok, that does it! I'm sick of this place._ I don't care if the new school term's starting. _Tomorrow... Tomorrow I'm getting out of here, before I'm driven insane._

Bright and early the next morning, I leave the house. Even though I have a book satchel over my shoulder, my parents think I'm just going out for my morning jog. Maybe they'll assume I've stopped off at Tohru-Chan's again for the night before they realize I'm gone.

I debate whether or not to say goodbye to him as I leave the house. No. If I see him, it'll be harder for me to do this. He may even try to talk me out of it. Try? Hell, knowing him, he'll succeed.

I reach the main highway and manage to catch a bus at the bus stop. I'll ride it as far as I can. I take a window seat as far in the back as possible. There's a few passengers on board, but not many. For once, none of them look up and start whispering about me. Guess they finally did find something else to gossip about.

_**"They say another person from the big house by the gate died. I hear the funeral's going to be at the temple."  
**_"Everyone looks so different in black. Who was it this time?"_**** _

Back in the city, nobody new anything about when a person died. Is it really that big a deal out here in the country?

"Good morning, Yuuki-Kun," a familiarly venomous voice hisses in my ear. My eyes widen. I look up. There's no one sitting near me. I look toward the front of the bus and stifle a gasp. My first impulse is to spring to my feet. There, just behind the driver. SH-SHIMIZU!?

 _No, damn it, it just can't be!_ Maybe I'm too late. Maybe I've already gone insane. She starts to turn to look at me, but when I force myself to blink, she's gone. _Of course she's gone! She was never there. Natsuno, she's dead, you idiot! I... I can't do this._ I drop back in my seat. I'm not getting out of this village, am I?

I stay on the bus, until late in the afternoon, then get off when they call their last stop. I'm exhausted. It's late and getting dark. I can't go home, I won't be able to get any sleep. I slump against the post for the bus stop sign and hang my head. Having trouble keeping my eyes open, I begin to contemplate falling asleep here and letting whatever this thing is just take me.

"Oii! Natsuno!" Tohru-Chan's voice rings out. Wishful thinking on my part, or just a dream. "Natsuno?" I suddenly feel a warm set of arms wrap around me. No, definitely Tohru-Chan. Oh, if only I believed in guardian angels. At the moment, I'm too tired to push him off or scold him for using my name. I've been doing a lot less of both of those lately. Like I said, I haven't been trying hard enough to push him away. "Hey? Are you ok?" he asks. "You don't look so good."

I press my forehead against his shoulder. "I haven't been sleeping very well again," I tell him. "Can I stay the night at your place tonight?" It takes every last bit of my strength to ask this of him without crying.

Tohru-Chan smiles and nods. "Sure, buddy," he says, being every bit as energetic as he usually is. He wraps his arm around my shoulder, letting me lean on him, and we walk back to his place. Chatter box that he is, he doesn't stop talking the entire way there, of course.

We get back to his place and go upstairs. I take my usual place on his bed, propped against the wall, while he settles in the floor in front of his game system. He leaves me to my own devices for a while, as I pass in and out of consciousness.

"Hey, Natsuno," he finally says. "I know you desperately want to get out of the village, but if you keep loosing sleep from studying for the entrance exams, you're going to ruin your health."

He sounds genuinely concerned and I give a slight smile, though I don't open my eyes as I answer him. "Didn't I tell you to stop calling me by my name? Besides, it's not that I'm staying up all night studying. I just... Can't sleep."

"I'd ask you to talk about it. But, I know you're not going to," Tohru-Chan pointed.

"Yeah," I nod. "Not really in the mood to talk about it, right now at least."

"Alright," Tohru-Chan relents. "Say, Natsuno...?" I force my eyes open. My vision's a little blurry as I look up at the back of Tohru-Chan's head, watching the soft glow of his TV screen envelop him. In my sleep deprived haze, I almost can picture him with wings and a halo. Though, what forced my attention was how hesitant his voice sounded when he called my name. "I have a favor to ask."

 _For you? Name it!_ "That's rare," I say, snapping fully awake and sitting up right, "You sure I'm the guy you wanna' ask?"

"Well... It's Ritsu-Chan..." he says hesitantly. "I... I want to ask her out for a weekend drive. But, I don't have the courage to ask. Can you come with me when I invite her?"

 _Oh, Tohru-Chan...?_ I already don't like where this is going. "But, you were just driving with her the other day," I remind him.

"That's different," he says, "That was as student and teacher. But..." He continues nervously, "I want to ask her... like a date."

My mind shuts down and I feel a jab in my heart. I stiffen and hold up my hand. Rather than thinking about being the bigger man, I'm thinking about my own feelings, or what would happen if she were to turn him down. "Hey, wait. WAIT? In the first place, as young as she looks, she's still older than us, isn't she? I mean, not that I'm saying anything about your interests or whatever, but... And besides. Tohru-Chan, I'm sorry, I think she likes someone else." He slumps, as if in that one instance, I've shattered his every hope and dream. Then he sighs. It's a forlorn sigh that just washes all over me. No fair, Tohru-Chan! How do I say no to something so heartbreaking as that!? _Me and my big mouth._ I close my eyes and rub the top of my head with a sigh. "Alright, alright!" I agree, "I'll come with you." _What am I getting myself into?_

"REALLY!?" he exclaims happily, turning toward me. He lunges in for one of his pouncing bear hugs. "THANK YOU. When you say you'll do it, I know you'll keep you're word."

"Woah!" I exclaim, kicking him in the face" _I said I'd do it, damn it, but don't come hugging ME after you just asked me to go with you to ask some chick on a date!_ "I'll do it alright, just knock it off with the fake physical affection!" For the first time in a long while, I frown at him. My heart is aching, but I'm too tried to force myself to leave. Hopefully, the week's worth of sleep deprivation is enough to hide the difference between the two in the haze clouding my vision. _Damn it, I knew I didn't have a snowball's chance in Hell, but why spring this on me now?_ I close my eyes and take a deep breath. Lack of sleep is a convenient excuse, and at this moment, that's all I want to do. "I'm really tired," I groan, flopping over on his bed, "I'm going to bed."

"Hey, wait!" Tohru-Chan protests, "I've got a pallet for you tonight, so please don't fall asleep on my bed again." I open a hazy eye and look at him. "It'll only take a moment to set up." I close my eye and attempt to force myself to sit back up. He sighs. "Seriously, man, how long has it been since you've gotten any sleep?" He rubs the back of his neck. "Here, you can stay there while I lay it out for you, I guess." He goes to his closet and pulls out a rolled up Tatami mat complete with pillows and blankets and lays it out on the floor. "Now you can sleep over anytime you like," he says happily.

We swap places and I doze off. Something snaps me awake later in the night. A cold sweat washes over me. Maybe I was dreaming, but I could swear I felt someone watching me. I open my eyes and look around. I'm still in bed, but as if I had been out there to see it, I somehow knew there were two people moving around outside, both with malicious intent. As if I can sense their every movement, I know that the female has opened the screen door and entered the house... And now she's coming up the stairs. The way I could sense everything, suddenly feels as though I'm in a bad horror flick. I hear footsteps creaking on the stairs, and I can almost see the outline of the person creeping up them.

 _Shimizu..._ I try to move, but can't. _No. This is a dream, right? Just a bad dream. This is Tohru-Chan's room, and he's right there next to me. I should be safe here._ The door slowly opens, just enough for the hall light to shine through, and someone peaks inside.

"Aw, they're already asleep. I hoped I could get them to help me study. Oh well, I'll see if Tamotsu's up, and if not, I'll head on to bed," she sighs, closing the door just as quietly as she'd opened it.

I heave a quiet sigh of relief. It was just Aoi-Chan. I can't believe I got so worked up. I stare up at the ceiling for a moment. My body's numb and tingling. I still can't move. A case of sleep paralysis, maybe? Maybe this whole thing with Shimizu is just paranoia from having a classmate pass away. I'm tired. So tired.

I close my eyes again. "Yuu-kii-kuun," a voice giggles softly in my ear. My eyes snap open. That had come from Tohru-Chan's bed. I turn my head in that direction and stare in abject terror as Shimizu slides out from under the bed. Her eyes are black and lifeless. For some reason she's on her back, looking at me upside down, which makes her all the more horrifying. She has a spiked collar choker on her neck and a spaghetti strap bodice top that looks like one of her breasts might flop out if she makes a wrong move. She crawls out from under the bed and stands up, flopping about like a marionette on a string, parts of her bending in ways that I'm sure nobody is supposed to bend. Thankfully it's dark enough I can't tell what she's wearing under that frilly short skirt with the belt that matches her choker. Though, I'm getting a very good look at her fishnet stockings with the rose thorn pattern running through them. She looks down at me and smiles. Chills run through my entire body. I still can't force myself to move. My eyes widen as I watch hers begin to glow red. The orbs I kept seeing outside my window. They're the same.

The smile leaves her face and her eyes become full of seething hatred as she turns towards Tohru-Chan. She approaches his bed and leans forward, looking at his angelic sleeping face. _Oh, God in Heaven, if you exist, please tell me I'm dreaming!_

"I really hate this guy, you know," she hisses. "I hate him because he's so much closer to you, Yuuki-Kun. Why do you never smile for me, like you do for him?" She looks up to the window. "What do you think Tatsumi-Kun?" I force myself to look past her, to see another figure sitting in the window, a wild look in his eyes, a grin swept across his face, hair done up like... Kitsune ears! Shimizu shifts. "I'm going to take him away from you, Yuuki-Kun." She bites her lower lip, and when she opens her mouth, she's sporting a pair of sharp fangs. "I'll take everyone you care about, until you're mine, and mine alone," she hisses, "Starting with him." She moves onto the bed, her movements are almost as seductive as her outfit is slutty. She's smiling from ear to ear.

"No, Shimizu!" I force myself to cry out, "Stop it! Leave him alone!" Ignoring my plea, she leans in and bites. I can't move to pull her off of him. I can't turn my head to look away. Short of closing my eyes, all I can do is lay there and watch as my pleas to leave him alone fall on deaf ears. She bites down hard and Tohru-Chan flinches in his sleep, giving out a pained groan.

I blink. At least I think it was a blink, I can't be sure. My body's able to move again and I jerk to my feet. She's gone. Daylight is just barely breaking. I rush to Tohru-Chan's bedside and grab hold of him. Gently shaking him, I call out his name. "Tohru-Chan? Tohru-Chan! Hey? Can you hear me? Are you ok?" _Oh please let him be alright. Damn it! If she's got a grudge, she should have come after me. Not him._ My eyes land on his neck, where she seemed to have bitten him. I gasp in spite of myself, and smile.

Tohru-Chan opens his eyes and looks up at me. "N-Natsuno?" he mumbles sleepily. "What's wrong?"

I sink to my knees. He's alright. "It was just a bad dream," I mumble out loud. _Thank goodness. I never would have forgiven myself, if..._ I shake my head. I don't even want to finish that thought.

"Hey, are you ok?" Tohru-Chan asks.

"This is ridiculous!" I scoff, chiding myself. "I'm going back to sleep. Good night!"

Tohru-Chan sits quiet for a moment, staring at me. "Yeah... Good night," he says, his voice muddled in a combination of sleep and confusion.

Two days later, he calls me at home. "Hey, are you sleeping any better?" he asks.

"Not really," I say. "You doin' alright? I haven't seen you at school lately."

"I'm good," he says, "I've just been feeling under the weather. I just wanted to check in on you. You left in kind of a hurry the other day, after you woke up. That must have been some nightmare."

"Something like that..." I hesitate for a moment. I can't tell him what I saw. It's just a bad dream, like he said. "Say, let me ask you something. Why does heartbreak have to hurt?"

"Because the heart's the most vital organ in keeping someone alive," Tohru-Chan gives the most profound answer possible. "What's the matter, buddy, did the guy you like find out and turn you down?"

I close my eyes and sigh. "No. But, I think he has a girlfriend." I feel sick to my stomach talking to him about it like this. I don't know why I can't just be honest about it. Getting it out in the open might make this easier, but the fear of loosing him completely prevents me from saying anything. "I think that's what brought on the nightmare. That, with all the stress I've been putting on myself."

"Aw, jeez, Natsuno, I'm sorry to hear that, man!" Tohru-Chan says, sounding one hundred percent sincere. "But, you know, the beauty of a broken heart is that it has a chance to mend, right? If you need me, just call."

"Yeah," I sigh, "Thanks. Anyway, I've got homework to finish, I'll see you when you come back to school, alright? Get better soon."

"Right, see you later."

************************************************************************************************************************************************

It's been four days now, and I haven't seen Tohru-Chan around. I don't even think he's been at school. I'm not sure which is stranger, to tell the truth, the fact that I've seen very little of him since that day, or that I haven't had any trouble sleeping since then. No, the feeling of someone watching me has been gone, ever since then.

I wonder if he still wants to ask Ritsu-Chan out for that drive? My heart wrenches at the thought of going with him. I'll have to stand there and listen as he asks her out for this date.

**"Ne, Rits-Chan, would... Would you like to go out on a drive with me?" I can picture him now. He'd be blushing, looking away from her, twiddling his thumbs, or shyly pressing his fingertips together.**

**Ritsuko would blink at him for a second, noticing how nervous he's acting. Then smile sweetly at him. "Why so bashful, Tohru? It's not like I haven't gone with you before."**

**Tohru would blush even deeper, his hands folding in on each other. "Yeah... But, I don't mean I want you to go to teach me." He'd tuck his hands behind his back, casting his eyes to the ground, shuffle a foot. "I mean... I really like you, Ritsu-Chan. I was hoping..." He would turn his head back up toward her. "You'd go with me..." He would then look over his shoulder as he mumbles the words, "Like on a date..."**

_Damn, I know his mannerism all too well. I've really got it bad, don't I?_ That's exactly how he'd do it, and he probably would be even worse of a mess trying that if I weren't there to give my support like I promised. But then, I'd have to be there to hear the answer.

If she says yes, I'll be happy for him. Conflicted and completely heartbroken, maybe, but happy for him. Unlike him, I know how to hide my emotions from others. **"Hey man, that's great!" I'd say, patting him on the back. "Congrats. You two have fun." If they were going to go then, and there, I'd give him the encouragement and cut out. If they set for a later date, I'd at least pretend to listen to him gush about how excited he is.**

But if she tells him no... To see him utterly defeated, as she either says she's not interested in him that way, or that she likes someone else... I think seeing HIM heartbroken would kill me. Of course, I'd stay with him until he felt better, but I could never be so shallow as to try and catch him on the rebound. I sigh and let my eyes cast toward the ground. _I'm not good enough for him, even if there were a chance for him to feel that way toward another guy, I know I'm not good enough. Maybe I should just tell him the truth about how I feel, and let him kick me to the curb now?_ It would utterly destroy any remaining pieces of my heart... But... But at least leaving this place would be so much easier. No... No, I promised him I'd go, so I have to see this thing through... But if she rejects him...

**"Oh, I see," he'd say, slouching, a frown replacing that gorgeous smile of his. His eyes becoming lachrymose. "I didn't realize. Sorry to bother you."**

**"Oh, I really am sorry, Tohru," she'd apologize. "Maybe we can go out for one of our usual drives later, though?"**

**He'd nod and force a smile on his face. "Yeah, yeah, that'll be great, Ritsu-Chan. Thanks. Sorry to bother you. I'll see you later, bye!" He'd try to play it all cool, like he wasn't hurting on the inside. But I know better.**

**I'd walk away with him and wait until we're alone, and put a hand on his shoulder. He'd be looking to me for support for a change. "Hey, man, I'm sorry," I'd say. I honestly don't know if I'd be telling the truth or not. "At least you gave it a shot." I'd pull him in. By this point, I can only imagine those tears he was holding back at her door would be free flowing. "I tell you what," I'd suggest, "Kaname's place is still open right? Let's go over there and get something to snack on, give yourself some time to cool off."**

Hmmm...? Maybe if she says yes, I'll just go to Kanme's place and buy something for myself. _Damn... What am I getting myself into?_ Still. After such a weird dream the other night, it is worrisome that I haven't seen him around. Maybe... Maybe it was a combination of that argument with Masao a few days before hand, all this stress of studying and little sleep, and then to have my heart shatter into a thousand pieces like glass when Tohru-Chan told me his plans... With all of that weighing on me, maybe Shimizu was just the form all that anxiety decided to shape itself into, culminating into what was probably the worst nightmare I've ever had.

Hey, there's his sister. "Oi, Aoi-Chan!?" I call.

"Ah, Nacchan!" she greets me. I pause for a second. _If anyone but her called me that..._ "What's up?"

"Did Tohru-Chan come to school today?" I ask.

"No," she says, pouting at me slightly. "I'm sorry," she smiles, "Were you looking for him?"

"I see... Is he still sick or something? I haven't seen him here in a few days. Last time I talked to him on the phone, he said he was under the weather."

She smiles and covers her mouth to hide a laugh. "That's what he's been telling our folks."

"I see."

Aoi puffs up, placing her hands on her hips and winking at me. "He's just playing hooky, though, so there's no need to worry about him," she assures me.

"Hookey?" I ask. Ok, I'll admit, I was worried, but if he's just playing hooky, I could wring his scrawny little neck.

"You want to walk home with me and knock some sense into him this afternoon, after school?" Aoi-Chan invites me.

I smile at the offer. Kicking his ass does sound good right about now. I shake my head and decline however. "No, that's fine. He asked me to help him with something, but I just hadn't seen him around. We're free from school tomorrow, so I'll stop by early in the morning."

Aoi-Chan smiles at me. "Alright. I'll let him know you're coming."

************************************************************************************************************************************************

I'm up bright and early the next day. Sunflowers seem to be the theme for today. The shirt I threw on before heading out the door has a big one across the chest, and a smaller one on the back where the shoulder blades meet. I even pass a field full of very tall, freshly bloomed ones on my way to the Mutou household. Why is any of this relevant? I'm not the kind of guy who usually notices these sort of things. Wait, I know why I've taken notice. It's because I'm going to visit Tohru-Chan. It's corny, I know, but if I had to associate Tohru-Chan with a flower, it would be the Sunflower, due to his honey blonde hair and those honey brown eyes. That's why I've noticed the running theme of them today. Today Saturday, Senbu, Bad luck in the morning, good luck in the afternoon, they say. Silly superstitions.

I reach Tohru-Chans house and freeze as I watch someone in a white coat run inside. Wait? Was that...? Ozaki-Sensei? Is someone sick? Didn't Aoi-Chan say Tohru-Chan was only playing hooky? I watch as the doctor goes inside, then run to the door. They've left it wide open. I enter slowly and call out, but no one answers. I go up stairs, but don't see anyone until I reach Tohru's room.

I slowly go up the stairs, apprehension growing in my chest and head. His door's wide open, and I can see Aoi-Chan and Tamo-Chan standing there. "Dad, Ozaki-Senesi's here!" Aoi-Chan says, her voice full of worry.

I hear the doctor and Mutou-Kun talking, but can't make out what they're saying. "What's wrong with Oniichan?" Tamo-Chan asks. I freeze, my eyes widening as I hear these words. I move faster up the stairs.

"Is he unwell?" Aoi-Chan asks, "I... I thought he was just pretending to be sick because of his new game." She covers her mouth and shakes her head.

"Both of you, take your mother and go downstairs now," I hear Mutou-Kun say.

 _What the heck's going on? Is he really sick?_ A part of me wants to push past all of them, jerk him up by the collar, and tell him to stop screwing around and worrying everyone!

"I'm sorry," Ozaki-Sensei says. "Tohru is dead..."

I freeze, just behind Aoi and Tamotsu. What did he just say? It's like an arrow to my heart. My knees feel week, and I stagger a bit on the stairs, my eyes growing wide and mouth dropping open. I look past the twins, and towards the bed, at Tohru-Chan, laying there peacefully. No...? Say it's not true! I clench my fists.

"NO! TOHRU!" Mutou-San sobs, lunging toward the bed.

Mutou-Kun stops her. "NO! Don't touch him!" his voice cracks as he forces back a sob. He tries again, to get Mutou-San and the twins to go downstairs. By this point, all three of them are falling apart. He sees me. I'm still staggered in shock, but I'm holding myself together better then the rest of them. "Natsuno-Kun, please, get them downstairs. We have to quarantine the room." I frown and nod. I don't remember much beyond that, but somehow, I manage to move Mutou-San and the twins downstairs. Before going down, I take one last look toward Tohru-Chan's bed. Mutou-Kun is sitting, head hung, I can't see it, but I know he's crying. "Why? Why didn't I notice a thing?" I hear him lament.

I sit with Tohru-Chan's family unitl his father comes back down. They're all sitting, heads hung, quietly sobbing. It's heart wrenching. I can't think of any words of comfort at the moment. In fact, the only cognoscente words in my head at the moment are, 'Please just let this be another bad dream!' All I can do is sit and stair at my hands. I stay a few minutes after Mutou-Kun comes down stairs. He and Ozaki-Sensei decide the funeral has to be done quickly. The wake will be tonight. I leave and head home.

"Natsuno," Mother runs up and hugs me. "Mutou-San called and told me the news. Honey are you alright?"

"Yeah," I lie, "I'll be fine. I'm... I'm gonna' go to my room for a bit before the wake. I want to be alone for a moment."

I can see the worry in my mother's eyes, but she agrees to my request. I sit on my bed and hang my head. The horrific scene I saw play out in Tohru-Chan's bedroom the other night replays over and over in my head. There had been nothing to prove she'd been there. Yet, something in the pit of my stomach tells me this is my fault. That I could have done something to prevent this.

My arguement with Masao comes to mind. I had told him any of us could be next. It was just a for example statement, I didn't actually want it to happen. Hell, if it had happened to Masao it would have been unfortunately ironic. If it had been me, little to no one would have really cared. But why? Why Tohru-Chan?

Shimizu's voice hisses through my head, **"I'm going to take away everyone I care about until you're mine and mine alone."** Selfish jealous bitch!

 _Oh, if only I had known that phone call would be the last time I'd hear his voice..._ I force myself to change and slump back on my bed. Now's not the time for tears. I can't let others see me cry. Mother comes to the door and peeks in on me. I've lost track of time. "Natsuno?" she calls in a soft, concerned voice, "Are you changed? It's time to go to the wake." I don't respond right away and she stares at me for a moment in silence. "Um... Here. I went out to check the mail and found this post card. It's a late summer greeting card, addressed to you." She sets it on the bed.

My eyes widen when I see the name of the person who sent it, 'Shimizu Megumi'. _Shi-mi-zu!?_ "Shimizu?" I mutter aloud, hoping my mother doesn't detect the fear in my voice. _Tell me. Oh, please tell me this is a sick joke?_ Is THIS what that girl was trying to get me to accept at Shimizu's funeral? If so, when did she send it? Did she send it? Why? Why did it arrive now of all times?

"Isn't she...? Now that's creepy," Mother states, realizing the girl who signed this is dead. "Why did it arrive only now?"

I fall silent for a moment, working up the courage to speak. I force on a smile as look up at my mother. "It's probably a lousy prank from someone. Or just a mix up with the mail. Let me put on my tie, then we can go."

Mother nods and heads for the door. "Alright. Hurry up, then."

I stand, glaring at the post card, trying my damnedest to remain calm, willing it to burn. I sigh. Unfortunately, it doesn't quite work that way. I walk to the window, almost wishing it was already dark, so that SHE could see me do this. Flinging the window open, I rip the post card to shreds, tearing it into pieces the size of my shattered heart and let those pieces fall to the ground. _It wasn't a dream. Shimizu rose from her grave, then killed Tohru-Chan._ "That's not impossible. Because this village has always buried it's dead." I put on my tie, and we leave.

I don't remember the ride to the wake. I remember climbing into the family vehicle, then getting out again when we arrived. By then, it was dark. We enter. Ritsu-Chan's here. Masao is already talking to Aoi-Chan and Tamo-Chan.

"I... Uh... I-I... Uh... That is to say. I was so shocked. Tohru-Chan is..." stammers. He doesn't know what to say. _How about, 'I'm sorry for your loss, he'll be missed', you jackass!?_ Oh well, I give him an A for effort, I suppose.

I don't mean to steal Masao's thunder, but I already know what this guy's like. He's starved for attention, jealous of the attention his younger niece and nephew receive. If he even finished that sentence he was trying to start, he'd probably find some way to turn it around and make it about himself. I quietly walk up next to him. Masao falls silent, and the twins turn their gaze to me. I ask where they have him. I want to pay my respects as quickly as possible before I fall to pieces. It's taking every ounce of my willpower to hold my composure at the moment.

Tamotsu frowns, his eyes so red with tears. He points to the room where they're holding Tohru-Chan's body, but doesn't speak. "I see. Thanks. I... I'm really sorry, you two. He was a great guy. If you ever need someone to talk to..."

"Thank you, Nacchan," Aoi-Chan says with a nod.

I give them both a respectful bow, then head toward where Tamotsu had pointed. I didn't make that offer for myself. I had become close not just with Tohru-Chan, but the whole family. I wanted them to know they're not alone.

Mutou-Kun and Mutou-San are sitting next to the coffin as I approach. Poor Mutou-San is crying her eyes out. Sitting above the coffin is a picture of Tohru-Chan. Not the most flattering picture, I suppose, but a respectable one. My eyes lock on it as I approach. It's sad to think the last time I'll gaze into his eyes is through a picture at his funeral.

 _I know what happened, and I'm sorry I couldn't stop it. Tohru-Chan, I WILL avenge you!_ I clench my fists as I stand there, staring at the picture. My nails dig into my palms and I stop just short of forcing myself to bleed. The pain helps keep me focused. Helps me hold back the tears I feel stinging my eyes and threatening to reveal themselves. I'm in this alone. No one would believe me. I force myself to look down at the coffin. Closed Casket. There's a small door over where his face should be.

I realize already it may seem insensitive of me to ask. Hell, it may even be the thing that pushes me over the edge and causes me to break into tears, but I ask it anyway. "May I see his face?" Just... Just one last time.

"Sure." His father's reply surprises me. Tohru-Chan had passed away in bed. It wasn't as though he were horribly disfigured in a wreck or something. But... His father had said the room needed to be quarantined. Was that the reason for the closed casket? Or was it because they'd rather have people remember him by his picture? Mutou-Kun stands and opens the door. I swallow a gulp of air, making up my mind that I'm going to do this.

I stare down at him and again I feel the threat of tears stinging the edges of my eyes. I can feel the heat on my face as it slowly turns red. There's just enough room to see his face, not his neck. My heart wrenches, I honestly hadn't thought there was any part of it still left in tact. I feel the butterflies that he'd always stirred in my stomach shift once, then fall dead, giving way to knots.

"Tohru's shell is empty." I remember the day he first said my name. "I wonder where he went." The day I first met him, as he stood watering his front lawn flashes through my brain. "I wish there was a way to find him." I remember the first time I rode with him while he was driving.

"Indeed." Mutou-Kun's voice rings out. I turn and look to Mutou-San. I hadn't even realized I'd been talking out loud.

"Please accept my condolences," I say, bowing to Mutou-San and Mutou-Kun. "I don't know what I should say at a time like this." It's true. In the city, death isn't treated as a big deal. This is all new to me. I've never known a death that had been driven home so hard with me. I stand silent for a moment, the sorrow I feel for loosing Tohru-Chan, the hatred and resentment that's stirring within me towards Shimizu, I can feel them both trying to bubble forth. Threatening to escape me in the form of tears that I refuse to let loose. For the first time in my life, I find myself wishing everything my father had ever told me was a lie. That coming back from the grave was possible, that there are golden castles in the clouds where everyone can live happily. Then, it'd be possible to send that pink haired country tart back to the grave, and her soul down to Hell where she belonged, while Tohru-Chan was in a better place. "But it's frustrating..." I finally force myself to say, "So frustrating."

"Right," Mutou-Kun says, "I'm disgusted with myself, and so angry."

"So am I," I say. I stand, and take one last, longing glance at Tohru-Chan. _Oh, if it were possible, I'd give anything to take your place and still have you here._ As I walk out, I pass by Masao, who just stands there gaping. How long had he been there? How much had he heard? Did he simply follow me? Not that it matters, but for him to be right there, it's hard not to notice. Tears are streaming down his face. Well, what do you know? I guess the guy really did care after all?

After everything's said and done, I return to Tohru-Chan's house to sit with Aoi-Chan and Tamotsu. Masao quietly joins us. I lean against the wall. I'm here for the twins. I won't start anything if I can help it.

"Tohru-Chan really was kind," Masao says, his back is to us, he's staring out into the night sky. Well, at least he finally figured out what he wanted to say. Aoi-Chan and Tamotsu sit quietly, their backs against the wall as well. Aoi-Chan's eyes are closed, and her arms are wrapped around her knees. Tamo-Chan, looks as though he's tolerating Masao's chatter, but as though he's quietly getting fed up with it. "Once, when a ball went into the liquor store's yard, he went to get it, fully prepared to be yelled at by that scary old man." I can believe that of him, but how does that constitute as kind? More like brave or stupid. That old guy's tough. "Remember that, Tamotsu? That's right. When we all went fishing, too..." He pauses and turns his sight towards me. I'm sitting quiet, behaving myself. I'm trying not to fantasize the many different ways I want to make Shimizu suffer if she reveals herself to me again. I'm actually listening to the stories. It's better to remember a lost loved one fondly, isn't it? He stands, and walks over to me. "You don't even cry, huh?" he scolds me.

No. My tears aren't meant for others to see. Don't tell me you were trying to goad them out of me with these stories? Trying to rub it in my face that you have memories of him from further back than I do? Memories that don't include me? I can force my tears back until I'm in the privacy of my own home. A shiver runs through me as I turn my gaze up toward him. No matter how close we were, regardless of how fond his family is of me... He was my everything, but he still saw me as nothing more than his best friend. I don't have the right to cry in front of them. No. _My tears aren't meant for others to see, and they definitely aren't meant for you!_

"Tohru-Chan died!" he exclaims, "How dare you make that sulking face!" I narrow my eyes at him, then look away. Tonight's threatening to rip out whatever's left of my heart all together, isn't it? I realize he's just grieving in his own way, if that's really what he's doing. But, I'm currently dead inside. Everything is numb outside of the pain I keep inflicting on myself to prevent these tears. "You're cold-blooded all right!" Masao growls, hands on his hips. He begins poking me with his foot. "Don't you have any feelings." I notice a shift off to our side, as the twins exchange looks, then frown at him. Masao flinches as I look up at him. _Please, for their sake, don't make a scene._ "You acted like this when Megumi-Chan died, too, didn't you?" _How dare you defile the sanctity of Tohru-Chan's funeral by bringing her up!? She's got nothing to do with this!_

"Don't pick a fight." I say, flicking my hand at him.

He catches me by my tie. "When did I try to pick a fight? When!?" I close my eyes. _That's what you're trying to do right now, jackass._

I close my eyes. I won't let him put Aoi-Chan and Tamo-Chan through this. "If you wanna' fight me, it'll have to be some other time, not now!" I open my eyes and look at him. _Are you really so lost in everything you can't see the pain in my eyes? None of us are happy about this._ "Hold it in, at least while you're here."

"Hey! Who's older here!?" he shrieks, tugging my tie. _Dude, if you're trying to choke me, you're doing it wrong._

"You are," I admit flatly, "so you should be able to do what I can do, right?"

"How dare you talk like that!" he yells. He's curled a fist and I close my eyes, quietly reserved to taking it in the face, should that be what he decides to do with it.

"ENOUGH ALREADY!" Aoi-Chan wails.

"Aoi-Chan...?" I look over to her.

"What?" Masao looks toward her to. Aoi-Chan's crying, sobbing at this point. _Way to go, prick, now look what you've done._

"If you wanna' fight, do it outside!" Aoi-Chan sobs.

"Wh-what?" Masao exclaims. "Aren't you upset with him? He's very cold, isn't he?" He points at me. By now, Aoi-Chan's on her feet, fists clenched. _Here we go, typical Masaoism, he starts something, then turns around and makes himself the victim._

"It's you who's cold!" Aoi-Chan scolds him, balling her fists under he chin. "He's grieving as much as the rest of us, he's just doing a better job of holding himself together, is all!"

"I'M cold?" he exclaims, "How am I cold? I'm very sad that Tohru-Chan died! Haven't I been saying that over and over?"

Aoi-Chan leans against the wall, covering her eyes with her hands. Tamotsu stands and wraps his arms around his sister. She turns and buries her face into his shoulder, sobbing.

"We feel sadder than that! This is our brother we're talking about!"

"And Natsuno was his best friend," Tamotsu says. I flinch, but only slightly. It's a harsh reminder of where I really stood with him.

"But Tohru-Chan was like a brother to me, too," Masao 'reasons'."He was kinder to me than my own brother."

"You say you're so sad, and you're right," Aoi-Chan says, turning back to Masao. "But just how do you want us all to respond to that?" She sits back in the floor and tucks her knees to her chest. Looking up at him, she sobs, "Did you come here to comfort us, or to have us comfort you?"

"But..." he starts to protest.

That's all I can take. I force myself to stand, staggering a little. Like Aoi-Chan said, I'm more shaken about this than I'm letting on. I look at him. "It may not be my place to say so, but if this is how you're going to behave, then maybe it's best we both leave." Masao slugs me in the cheek. I take it in stride. I close my eyes during the point of impact, then glare at him. I barely felt that. I'm more numb than I thought I was. If he does it again, I won't be so tolerant. I may be younger, but I'm faster, and stronger, I could probably snap his scrawny ass in half like a twig if forced to. But I'd rather not. I don't want to dishonor Tohru-Chan's funeral by being thrown out for fighting, verbally or physically.

Aoi-Chan gasps and covers her mouth. "That's enough!" Tamotsu exclaims, "Masao, please leave now!"

Masao clicks his tongue. "To hell with all of you!" he exclaims, turning and running out of the building.

Aoi-Chan's sobbing again. She didn't need to see that. "I'm sorry," I apologize. "I'll leave too, if you want?"

"No," Aoi-Chan says shaking her head, as Tomtosu hugs her again. "No, Natsuno, please, stay as long as you like. Niisan wouldn't want you to leave before you're ready."

I smile at her. It's a sad smile, but sincere. I place a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Thank you, Aoi-Chan, but I think Masao's done enough damage for both of us." I hug them both. "I meant what I said, though, if you guys ever need anything...?"

Tamotsu smiled and nodded. "Thank you, Natsuno. That means a lot to us," he said.

"You're probably the only one who really means it," Aoi-Chan sniffled.

That in itself is sad. All these people around them who've known them their whole lives, and me, a mere fifteen year old, who hasn't even known them a whole year, I'm the one they believe means that promise the most. I bow to them, giving my condolences once more, then head home.

I lock myself in my bedroom when I get home and sit down on the bed. My heart hurts, but my head, arms, legs, and torso are all numb. My cheek throbs. I cup my hand around the area where Masao struck me. The tears well up in my eyes. I can let them go now. In spite of myself, they begin to run down my face and I sob out the name that's been on the tip of my tongue, and running circles in my head the whole night. "Tohru-Chan."

I fall over on the bed and bury my head into my pillow, hoping it'll be enough to muffle me should I sob any further. That feeling returns. Someone, something... No Shimizu! She's outside my window, but at the moment, I'm too distraught to pull myself from the bed. If only I could have. I would have been horrible in that moment. I would have caught her by the hair and drug her inside, kicking and screaming, and bludgeoned her with the first thing I could get my hands on. But I can't force myself to move. Something's different about this feeling tonight. The focus isn't so intent on me. I roll over on my back and listen. It's definitely the same feeling I got in Tohru-Chan's room that last night, which sends a chill over me. But, this time, I swear I can hear someone crying.

When I wake up the next day, my pillow is soaking wet. I go to my window and look outside. Every single scrap of the postcard is gone. Had they been carried by the wind, some would still be lying out there, but every piece is gone, as if someone had come along and carefully picked them up. So that's why she wasn't focused on me last night. I may be next, but I won't let IT take me so easily.


	6. Chapter 6

It's been days now. I'm having trouble focusing on my studies. I'm sleeping more, though. I haven't sensed her outside my window. Did she finally take the hint? No, something tells me I'm not rid of her so easily, just yet. She's biding her time. I've lost track of how many times I've caught myself wanting to go see Tohru-Chan, just to remember he's gone now. I'd never known what it felt to loose someone you were close to, and now that I do, I find myself wishing I didn't know how to feel at all. I've checked in with Aoi-Chan and Tamo-Chan every day, so far, at least. They're still grieving, of course, but they're putting up a strong exterior.

I'm walking home by myself. I've never felt so lonely before. I've never felt so empty before. I had never let myself get as close to another person. I should have tried harder to push him away. I can't leave Sotoba now, I have to destroy the creature that did this, first. Shimizu's the one who did it, but this is my fault. I can't leave without making things right.

I look up and stop, just ahead of me on the road is Ozaki-Sensei. He stops when he sees me. "You're from the other day, at Mutou-Kun's house. You're Yuuki-Kun's boy, right?" he asks.

"Yeah," I nod, weakly. "Say, Sensei? There's something I want to ask you."

"Alright, ask," he agrees, but I can't promise an answer.

"It's about Shimizu... Shimizu Megumi. You're the doctor that examined her right?"

"Not only did I examine her, I wrote the death certificate myself," he admits.

I glare at him. "She's REALLY dead, right?" I ask. _PLEASE, don't let him think I'm asking because I'm hopeful SHE'S still alive._ "I mean, really dead. There's something called being brain dead, right?"

"There are some doctors who say brain dead is not truly dead, but no doctor would say that a person who's heart has stopped beating is not dead," he answers. The look on his face denotes understandable confusion. "Postmortem lividity and rigor mortise were also observed. If there was even a slight chance of life, we would stop the family and try to revive her."

Even I realize how ridiculous this question sounds as I ask it. "Then, there's no way... ABSOLUTELY no way Shimizu-San could come back from the dead, right?"

Ozaki-Sensei laughs. "If she came back from the dead in that condition, she'd be a zombie or a vampire." A look of realization sweeps both of our faces.

Vampire? It explains so much, but it's just more fantasy. Still, it's something to go on. "I understand, sorry about asking such a strange thing!" I say and start to run off.

"Hey, wait?" Ozaki-Sensei calls. "Why did you ask me such a thing?"

I turn and look at him. "Forget I said anything!" I answer. I run to the video store and rent out several horror movies. My father would freak out if he saw me with so many, so I go to Tohru-Chan's house and borrow the TV in his room.

"You rented a horror flick, and brought it to a grieving family?" Tamotsu asks.

"Would it have been better if I brought a comedy?" I ask Tamo-Chan dope slaps me up the back of the head. "Ouch." Guess I deserved that. Aside from that, Tamo-Chan makes no reaction when he sees that most of the movies are about Vampires and Zombies.

"You've got bad taste, I didn't know you were into this stuff," he comments, looking at one of them.

"I'm not," I answer quietly.

"Then, why are you watching it?" Tamotsu asks.

"Reasons," I answer. _They shouldn't exist! Even I wouldn't believe it if it wasn't for those eyes. So, I have to fight Shimizu without expecting any help help from anybody? Oh, Tohru-Chan if you were alive... If I had told you. Would you have helped me?_

"Oookay, then...?" Tamotsu says hesitantly. "Something for school? Like for a literary class or something?"

"Yeah... Something like that," I lie. "I can't watch these at home, Dad doesn't approve." Ok, so that last part's true.

"Right, then I'll leave you to it." Tamotsu says as he starts to leave the room. He stops before he shuts the door and looks back at me over his shoulder. "Oh, by the way, Natsuno... While you're up here. Feel free to look around. Mom and Dad said that since you and Tohru-Niisan were so close, if there's anything of his you wanted as a keepsake, you're welcome to it. Just let us know if you do decide you want anything."

I freeze, my breath hitching and my eyes blinking wide. They'd be willing to give me something of his? "Uh..." I glance around the room. "Yeah, yeah, sure. Thanks, I'll... I'll take a look around." With that Tamotsu leaves the room.

I sit, staring at the TV for a moment. I'm not paying attention to what's going on. I'm sitting in quiet disbelief. I force my eyes away from the TV and let them start roving over the room. To look through Tohru-Chan's things, and pick out something I would want to keep? I pause the movie and stand up. It almost feels invasive. _They're sure they want me to have something of his?_

I begin to look through his shelves and storage boxes. I'm doing my best to prevent making a mess and wrecking the room. He always kept it so tidy. I honestly don't know what I'm looking for. There's nothing of his that would have sentimental value to it for me. No particular shirt I use to like seeing him in, no jewelry that he wore. Nothing I ever gave him. No photos of us together, or books we read together. We simply hung out. I'd sit and read magazines or study while he played video games. Aside from the occasional two player game or cheesy movie we both made fun of, I can't think of anything we actually did together. Well, there was the occasional trip to Kanamie's diner, I suppose. We'd simply sit and enjoy each other's company, and he'd do everything in his power to try and make me smile. For as little as we had in common, it's a wonder that we were friends at all.

I become slightly frustrated as I realize this. I give up on looking and flop onto his bed, staring down at my feet. I tried so hard to keep him at arm's length, that there isn't even anything I can take with me to remember him by. Subconsciously, I grab the pillow on the bed and hug it tight. Their idea of quarantining must have been to use some sort of antibacterial spray and washes, because the room is in the exact same state he left it in. I'm not worried about some contagious airborne illness, anyway. I KNOW what really killed him. Using my big toe to reach the remote, I unpause the video and hug the pillow tight, leaning against the wall. The whole bed still smells like him. After all those times he'd pounced and hugged me, how could I not recognize that distinct combination of soap, shampoo, and cologne? It's comforting... Especially while watching these horror movies. Ironically, movies were something we had in common. Tohru-Chan had shown me my first horror movie. If he were here beside me, right now, he'd be the one clinging to me for comfort.

It dawns on me. That's what I need. I can't ask for his pillow or blankets, that'd seem just down right creepy. But, surely there's something in this room somewhere that would smell like him, right? Something I could grab hold of, when SHE comes back, should I not be ready to face her? Wait... Under the bed, there's a stack of boxes. I turn and look out the window. It's not quite dark yet. There's no risk of her being there. What the Hell, Natsuno! I'm fifteen, I should be ashamed of myself for being frightened of monsters under the bed! I refuse to give up my hold on the pillow, or my spot on the bed. I sprawl across the bed and reach out with my hand, catching the remote and dragging it close enough to pause the video. I then tuck the pillow under my knees and slide out the boxes stacked under the head of the bed. There, in the first box, just half the size of the pillow, is an old stuffed honey brown bear with two black button eyes and a pink button nose... and a sunflower in its hands.

"I see you found Honey Bear?" a voice says, coming from the doorway.

I jump and look up. "Aoi-Chan?"

She giggles. "I'm sorry, Natsuno, I didn't mean to startle you. Mother's cooking dinner, she wanted me to come up and ask if you wanted to join us."

"No, I couldn't..." I start.

Aoi-Chan shakes her head. "You wouldn't be imposing!" she insists. "Nacchan, you're one of the few people Tohru-Niisan never would stop talking about," she says with a laugh. Even through the laugh, I can hear the sorrow in her voice. "Forgive my asking, if this seems rude, but... Did you even have any friends here other than him?"

I close my eyes and sigh. "Just you and Tamo-Chan... And Ritsu-Chan, I suppose," I answer quietly.

Aoi-Chan gives me a sad, sweet smile in reply. "The whole family misses him a lot," she says, leaning against the wall. "But we can all imagine you must miss him just as much. I'm sorry, we never properly apologized to you for Masao's behavior after the funeral."

"There's nothing for you to apologize for. He was out of line," I state, finally sitting up right on the bed, "But he's responsible for his own actions, not the rest of you. You're right, Aoi-Chan. I do miss Tohru-Chan alot, but I can't be selfish enough to openly express it, when I know the rest of you do too." You're the ones who have the right to cry over him. "But, this place is very lonely for me without him." My eyes lock onto the stuffed bear that's now staring up at me. Ironic how it's colors remind me so much of him.

"You can have the bear," Aoi-Chan says, quietly.

"Huh?" I look up at her. "Do I look like the kind of guy who would...?"

She smiles and shakes her head. "I don't mean it like that," she giggles. She points at the bear. "That's Honey Bear. Mother bought it for him when he was two," she explained. "He was still the only child, didn't know the concept of friends, and was having bad dreams. He's slept with that bear every night, since. He only put it away in hiding, when he knew he had company coming over, afraid they'd tease him about it. If there's anyone he'd want to have it, it's you."

I look at the bear for a moment, then back up to her. I smile. "Thanks, Aoi-Chan." She nods. "How much longer until dinner's ready?"

"Maybe half an hour?" Aoi-Chan replies.

"Tell your mother, I'd love to join you."

************************************************************************************************************************************************

Three days later, Masao passed away. I didn't go to his wake. Aoi-Chan and Tamo-Chan thought it was cold of me. But... "Even if I went, it's certain Masao wouldn't be happy, right?" I reason. _I intended this as my first and last act of kindness towards him._

Having finished my research through movies, I turn my attention to the books in the library. "No books about Vampires, or legends handed down in Sotoba about the living dead...? They're all gone." I mumble out loud. "Is it possible someone had the same idea?" I go to the desk, but no one's there. I take the liberty of looking through the cards. The History of Vampires It's been checked out already, just last month. By the young priest from the temple. Muroi Seishin... Of course, the Junior Monk is an author, maybe it's just a coincidence that he needs this book for a story he's writing? _Right, I suppose my next stop is the temple, then!_

It's a long walk of stairs to the temple, but I endure it. I pause and look around when I reach the top. It's my first time here, but the temple is bigger than I thought. Though, I guess that's to be expected, this family was one of the biggest landowners in the village. I wander around for a bit, uncertain where to go or what to do. It's odd that I would even set foot past the gates to this place on normal circumstances. "Oh my, look dear, we have a lovely guest," an older woman says. She's very pretty. Her skin is pale, and her hair pulled into a bun. Just past her is a very frail looking old man with a long white beard, lying in a bed. "You're the son of Yuuki-San, who came here last year, aren't you? I've noticed you a few times in the village."

I bow. "Yes ma'am," I say, "Good afternoon." I can't help mentally commenting on how pretty she is. "I..." I pause as the old man turns his eyes toward me. His eyes have large dark rings under them and I feel a chill run through me, he seems kind of spooky. In fact, he reminds me of all those pictures of that Russian guy, what was his name? Rasputin. I draw my attention back to the lady. "Please forgive the intrusion." I stand back up, "Is Seishin-San around?"

"I'm afraid he's gone out at the moment. It's a matter of work. You're welcome to wait if you have business with him, though. Shall I put on some tea?" she offers.

"No ma'am, thank you, but that won't be necessary. It's just, there's a book that he borrowed from the library. I was hoping I could get him to let me look at it for a while."

"Oh dear," she sighs. "Don't tell me my boy has interfered with your studies by borrowing books to research for his stories? I was worried something like this would happen, and told him to be hasty in returning those books."

"Just material for his novel?" I ask. I smile at her. "I see. I'm sorry to have bothered you, I'll drop by again, later. I'd like to meet Seishin-San next time."

The woman nods. "I'll tell him, dear. I'm terribly sorry for the trouble."

I don't need the book. I think I know enough from the movies. I go home and fashion a makeshift cross. As I look at it, I frown. Everything my father's ever taught me about monsters comes rushing to my head. I frown and toss the silly thing across the room. "Can something like that actually work!?" I roll over on the bed and pull Honey Bear up close. I'm starting to feel stupid. No matter how I look at it, Shimizu is already dead.

************************************************************************************************************************************************

As I'm out running the next afternoon, my attention turns to Kanemasa. Why hadn't it dawned on me before now? These deaths had to come from somewhere. They didn't start until that house had been rebuilt. They became even more recent after the new occupants moved in. Now that I think about. I stand and stare up at it, scratching an itch on my left shoulder. I'd heard that Shimizu had said she'd seen the lady of Kanemasa before she died. Rumor has it that Madam Nao had seen them, too. And Tohru-Chan... He said the guy he'd met came from Kanemasa... The one with hair... styled like Kitsune-ears. These people rarely come out into the village, and when they do, it's usually after dark.

I start to approach the house. If Shimizu came back from the grave, and this lot has something to do with it, then I HAVE to do something, or I'll never get any peace. _Wh... Huh...?_ It's Shimizu's friend Kaori and her younger brother Akira. _What are they doing here?_ I sense something off to the side. The guy Tohru-Chan told me about, the same one I'd seen in his window, that night. He's watching them. Akira's holding a bat in his hand, but something tells me that won't be enough to protect them. "Oi! What are you doing there!?" I call out. The guy hides, and the girl and her brother turn to me. Good. "You're Shimizu's friend right? Great timing, I need to ask you something. Come over here, will you?" I lead them away.

"I know who you are," Akira says, brandishing his bat as if he's ready to defend his sister's honor. _Real cute, kid. Trust me, she's safe!_ He points it at me. "You're the guy from the atelier, who moved her last year! What do you want?"

"I just pulled you both out of trouble," I inform him. "You two were being watched. What were you doing there?" They try to feign innocence, but I see through their hesitations. "Let me guess, you're suspicious of the Kirishiki as well?"

Akira's bat clatters onto he ground. "Does that mean you...?"

I frown and I feel that all too familiar painful tug in my heart as my thoughts return to Tohru-Chan. That guy that was watching them. I'm certain of it, that was the same guy who was there when Shimizu attacted him. I nod. Suddenly, I find a pair of arms wrapped around me as a wailing child begins crying about how no one else would believe him. This kid's seen something. Kaori and I calm him down, long enough to make sense out of what he's talking about. I lead them further away, where we can talk safely. Before continuing our conversation about these creatures of the night, I ask Kaori about Shimizu's postcard. She admits to sending it. "I see," I say, "Don't get me wrong, I'm not angry, and I won't ask why. But I wanted to make sure it was you who sent it, and NOT Shimizu." Suddenly, Akira is clinging to me as bad as Tohru-Chan use to, he sits down next to me, calling 'Shot Gun' and acting like he's known me his whole life.

After talking with them, I learn that Akira had seen someone he'd known had died back in August go into the Kanemasa house, and that the guy he saw was running really fast. Akira's certain he didn't misidentify the guy, this person use to live near their house, and they were really close. I make the suggestion of Vampires, expecting them both to laugh me off, but they don't.

"Why do you believe me?" Akira asks.

"Because. I've seen Shimizu."

"MEGUMI!?" Kaori exclaims, choking back a sob. "Megumi-Chan, too?"

"Too?" Akira and I ask.

"No, I haven't seen anyone," she insists, "But Yasuyuki-Niichan and Megumi-Chan both saw the mistress of Kanemasa before they died. I... I passed by walking our dog Love the night Yasuyuki-Niichan was talking with her. For both to be dead, but seen after the burial."

"So, then you believe us, right, Sis?" Akira asks.

"No! No, I can't believe such a thing!" Kaori cries.

"Understand your feelings, Kaori," I assure her. "But I saw Shimizu, with my own eyes. Not long before someone close to me passed away. I want to do something, before whatever happened to her, happens to him." _Even though I can sense her there, so strongly, I'm still only half willing to believe it. Still. I DON'T want to let this happen to Tohru-Chan. I can only hope I'm not too late._ "You don't have to come with me, but I'm going to confirm it," I tell them, "But I'm going to dig up Shimizu's grave." _I'm tired of being alone in this. I wish Tohru-Chan where here. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a bit frightened. But, even if it's just with these two, if I'm not alone, I can be brave!_

Kaori protests, over and over, but when Akria agrees to come with me, she caves in. We agree to a date and time to meet, and wait for the right moment to sneak out. I'm a minute or two late meeting them at the grave sight. Kaori seems to still be here under protest, and they're beginning to wonder if I'd stood them up. "He wouldn't run away right? Adults are liars, after all," I hear Akira lament.

"You guys ready to do this, or am I on my own?" I ask, walking out of the bushes. "Sorry I'm late." I toss down three shovels. "But, I thought this might be faster than digging with our hands." Akira's delighted to see me, Kaori almost seems disappointed.

"Natsuno-Niichan, you came!" Akira said happily, "I knew you wouldn't be a coward like Kaori!"

I smile at the kid. "Relax, I always keep my word," I assure him. That might have been what Tohru-Chan had liked in me all this time. He knew if I said I'd do something, I'd do it.

Akira and I begin digging. Kaori topples over. Did she slip, or simply freak out? She freezes, her eyes widening as she feels her hand come in contact with something. She looks over and picks up a gift wrapped box. "This is...?" Her eyes are full of recognition. "NO! It can't be!?" She jumps to her feet, tears in her eyes as she opens the box. Akira and I exchange looks, then shrug our shoulders. "No, it is!" Kaori exclaims in horror as she pulls a good luck charm out of the box.

"What is it?" I ask.

"I bought this for Megumi-Chan's birthday," Kaori whimpers, "But... We buried her with it!"

Akira and I look at each other, nod, and begin to dig faster. Kaori finally gives in and digs with us. It's already getting dark when we finally reach the coffin. "Wait? Isn't it going to be hammered down?" Akira asks.

"No, look, there," Kaori says, it's cracked open.

I pull the box open. For the sake of my own sanity, I HAVE to know. "Just as I expected." Empty.

"NOOOOO! MEGUMI-CHAN!" Kaori wails, falling back onto the ground.

I stand, breathing heavy, eyes fixated on the empty box. My body is washed in a mixture of emotions. Shock and Relief, that I'm not crazy. Sorrow and Regret, that Kaori had to see this. Guilt and Elation, that I was right. Hatred and Resentment that SHE'S still out there, making my life miserable. Disgusted and Vengeful, for what she did to Tohru-Chan. "That settles it. Shimizu HAS risen from the dead," I say. Had she been there, I would have at least gone to bed with peace of mind tonight. But now I know, this is far from over.

"No way," Kaori sobs, her voice sounding so frail and tiny, "Megumi-Chan."

"Hey, are you ok?" I call to Kaori, finally turning to look.

Someone or something leaps out of the trees and grabs hold of her. She lets out a muffled shriek and tries to squirm away, but the guy's strong and tries to drag her to the tree line. Kaori slaps at him, hitting him in the face with Shimizu's discarded good luck charm. The guy tries to get away from the charm. "DUCK!" I exclaim, rushing toward them. Kaori ducks and I strike him with a shovel. My eyes widen as my 'weapon' connects with Kaori's assailant. I can feel the force of the vibrations, the weight of a human life running through the entire shovel as the guy falls to the ground, out cold. Did... Did I just kill someone!? I check him. "He's not breathing."

"His skin was so cold," Kaori says. "Natsuno, he was trying to bite me!" My eyes widen at this news.

"The guy's dead," I tell them, "But I think he already was."

We throw him in the grave and bury him half way, deciding to leave him for the adults to find, then we hurry home. I shut and lock my door and window. I've got a lot of work to do. When I do finally go to bed, I can't sleep. I toss and turn. I roll on my back and look up at my hands. The sensation still lingers. I didn't kill the guy, and yet. The thing I thought impossible happened, something that can't be undone. "What I fear is the sin." I roll on my side and pull Honey Bear close. I've been keeping it tucked under my pillow case, so that my parents don't find it if they have to come into my room for anything. I doubt they'd mind I had it, if I told them it was a keepsake from Tohru-Chan, but still, at my age, I can only imagine what they'd think if they found it. I take in the warm, comforting scent the bear gives off and close my eyes. "Tohru-Chan," I call out his name as I finally drift off to sleep.

The next morning I go to the grave, only to be met half way by Akira and Kaori. The guy we left buried there is gone. A weight lifts off my shoulders. I didn't do it after all. We make plans to tell the grown ups. We're certain Kanemasa is their hide out. Akira suggests storming the place ourselves, at this very moment. But I talk him out of it. We know there's mother, father, daughter, and the guy with the Kitsune-Ear hair, Shimizu, and Yasuyuki. But how many others are there? Masao? Madam Nao? ... My heart sinks as the next name comes to mind. Tohru-Chan? Just as Karoi hates to think Shimizu is one of them, it makes me sick to my stomach to think my Tohru-Chan could be one, too. I wrap my arms around myself and close my eyes, trying to act as though I'm shivering in the wind that conveniently blows past us at that moment. "An unknown enemy that numbers more than ten," I point out, "How do you suggest we fight them?"

"What are the usual methods?" Kaori asks.

"Stake through the heart, good luck charms, metallic rings or bells, crosses, holy water," I start to name them, "...Cutting off the head."

Kaori suddenly brings up the fact that there's another person from their neighborhood that was being buried today. We begin to suggest options for making sure the old woman doesn't come back. "Dig her up and put her to rest," I suggest.

"Wait until she rises up, then hit her over the head with a bat," Akira suggests.

"Knock it off, you two!" Kaori scolds. "What about what you were saying earlier? The cross, the holy water?"

I look at my hands again. "Well, for now, we'll stab the heart with a stake," I say. _Can I really do such a thing? If I'm faced with Shimizu, Masao, or... God forbid, Tohru-Chan, can I really bring myself to force a stake through their hearts? Can I bear to live with knowing I took a life, even if it's that of someone who's already declared dead?_

We wait behind a tree close to where the grave for the old woman is. We quietly watch the funeral procession. At least now, we know where she's buried. We agree to meet back at this same spot after school and head home.

"Welcome back, Natsuno!" my parents greet me.

"You have a guest," Mother tells me.

"A guest? Is it Tamo-Chan?" I ask.

"No, some little girl with a puppet. She's in your room," Father says.

"Who is she?" Mother asks.

 _In my room?_ My eyes widen. I don't know any little girls. "Don't let people in my room!"

My parents follow me. I open the door and flick on the light. There's no one there. "Maybe she's hiding," Mother says, "She was sitting in the dark when I served her tea."

"Maybe she left through the window?" Father suggests, pointing out that it was open.

"Was she alone? What kind of girl was she?"

"She was a little odd," my parents admit.

"She said her name was Matsuo Shizuka," Father says. "She said it was an important matter."

"She also said her brother would be coming for her later," Mother says.

I shiver as I stare at my open window. "What did you say to that?" I ask, as calmly as possible.

"We said it was alright," Father answers.

"Natsuno? Is something wrong?" Mother asks.

"I see..." I say. _So they've come for me._

I shut and lock the door and window. I find the make shift cross I had made earlier and tuck it under the pillow. _Wait...?_ I reach into the pillow case. _Really?_ I turn toward the window with a glare. _SERIOUSLY?_ They send in a little girl, and she runs off with a stuffed bear? _Damn it all!_ It's going to be hard to get any sleep tonight. I spend the night plastering my wall with homemade ofuda, protection wards, and crosses. I don't know if this stuff will work or not, but I'm willing to give it a shot.

I call the Tanaka household and ask for Akira. I ask if there have been any strange visitors calling for them. No. Good. "Listen, don't let anyone inside, no matter what, do you understand? No matter how urgent they say it is, even if they say I sent them. Tell Kaori and your parents as well. I don't care what kind of story you have to feed your parents to convince them, just make sure no strangers come in."

"Ok, ok, I got it!" Akira assures me, "I promise I won't let any one in. Are you alright?"

"Yeah," I lie, "I'm fine."


	7. Chapter 7

I come home from school and change clothes. Wait a minute? There's a new chair in my room. I can tell Dad made it. But... I look around my protection wards are all gone. I find him out in the workshop. "Dad? Do you know what happened to the crosses and scrolls that were in my room?" I ask.

He frowns and doesn't even look up at me. "Oh, those. I threw them out."

 _What!?_ "You threw them away?"

"You know I hate stuff like superstitions and religions, don't you? I don't want you to do things like that."

 _What's wrong with you? In the course of a month alone, I've lost two classmates, and my best friend, hell my only friend! Then, you allow some strange girl into my room? Now you find all these charms in my room and simply throw them out without asking me if I'm ok?_ I close my eyes and turn away. "Fine!" I turn to walk away. Except for Akira and Kaori, I really am alone in all of this. He'd never believe me. Now I'm kind of glad that girl ran off with the bear. Better to have it stolen and at least assume it's being played with by a child than to think it's been out right thrown away. I can't be mad at him. He doesn't know what's going on, and his own beliefs will never allow him to believe it. "Thanks for the new chair." I add as I walk out.

I have nothing to protect me tonight. I wait until my parents have gone to their room, then sneak out of mine and lock the front door. I grab a wrench from Dad's work shop and go back to my room, locking the bedroom door, and the window. I switch off the light and sit on my bed, at an angle where I can't quite be seen from the window.

The girl said her name was Matsuo Shizuka from Sakaimatsu, and she disappeared after saying her brother would come later. I wonder if a single night with a room full of protection wards is enough to keep them away? Will they show up anymore? I find myself wondering if it's going to be the same guy that grabbed Kaori at Shimizu's grave. I won't lie. I'm scared, but there's no way I'll just let them attack me. I intend to fight back.

Tuesday morning, just past midnight, and no sign of them. Maybe that really was enough, after all? **_Tap, tap, tap._** Huh? I look up. **_Tap, tap, tap._** It's very faint, but there's a tapping noise at the window. I faintly make out the silhouette of a finger. I find the make shift cross I'd hidden under the pillow and take it in one hand, clenching the wrench tight in the other. The tapping stops and in place of the finger, the shadow of someone's head appears. I grit my teeth and stare at the window. Who or whatever it is is trying to open it. It's not Shimizu. Definitely male. I'm assuming it is the guy from the grave now, wanting to come back at me for the blow I dealt him the other night. He stops rattling the window, turns and walks around the house.

Wait? Where is he going? Did he give up, just like that? No... I can sense him. Just like that night at Tohru-Chan's house, I can sense this guy's movements. I follow him all the way to the front of the house, where I hear the door open. Wait...!? That can't be right, I locked it myself! Did Dad unlock it? He did say it was forbidden, since there was no crime in in this village. _Grr... Those idiots. They're going to get us all killed._ He... No, IT comes into the house, stops outside my bedroom door. It's locked, he can't get in this way, either. I hear the front door shut again. He's coming back to try the window again. _If you want to come in here, fine. I'll catch you this time and drag you to the villagers, forcing them to believe us._ The shadow returns to the window. I'm up against the wall, wrench in hand ready to strike.

 ** _Tap, tap, tap._** "Natsuno?" **_Tap, tap, tap._** "Natsuno?" My heart lurches. No, it can't be!? I drop the wrench onto the floor. It drops with a thud and nearly shakes the ground. _That... That voice!?_ "It's me."

I press the back of my head against the wall and listen as it calls my name again. I close my eyes. _It can't be? That's the tone someone close to me would use when calling to me._ I open my eyes and hang my head. There's only one person I know who ever used that tone with me. Part of me wants it to be true, the rest of me knows better than to even dare hope. In spite of my better judgement, I slide open the blind. Whoever it is, is hiding where I can't see anything but my reflection. "Who is it?"

"It's me," they answer. I look down, he's crouched, just below the window. I know better than to open it. I know I'm safer within my room, with the window locked. But... My heart betrays me, trying to pretend as though it's melded back into one whole piece since Tohru-Chan's funeral, I feel it pound against my chest wilder than it's ever done before. It aches. What sort of cruel trick is this? I hesitate, but I finally open the window.

"Hey?" I lean over to see who it is. They seize my wrist and try to pull me out, but I catch hold of the window and try to pull back. His head is turned away, he's hiding his face with his free arm. I forcefully pull back, enough to reveal the face that's being hidden. Same honey blonde hair, same angelic facial features. Just as I thought, it's Tohru-Chan. But his eyes... His eyes are different. They're not the same warm honey brown I'd fallen in love with. They're two black spheres, with red glowing orbs, just like Shimizu's. Even so, there's still a warmth and gentleness in them, rather than the coldness that were in hers. "T-Tohru-Chan...?" My voice must have been so muddled with fear and confusion that it masked the joy I felt in seeing him once more. He covered his face, then turned and ran. Wait? Was he not here to kill me, then? "Tohru-Chan!" I call after him.

No. There's still a part of me that refuses to believe. I know what I'm doing is stupid, but I jump out the window and give chase, calling after him. They took him away from me, now those sick bastards were sending him after me? They could have sent Shimizu, or Masao, or anyone else, but it shouldn't have been Tohru-Chan of all people. He should have never come back as one of them. I hoped against hope he wouldn't become the enemy. Now, here I am, chasing after him in the dark, leaving myself open for anyone of them.

I reach the healing spring and stagger up to it. Kneeling down, my memories return to the day Tohru-Chan first showed me this place. He's the only memories I do have of this Village. Tohru-Chan, did you come to me because you wanted to see me? Because you wanted to protect me? Or did you come after me because you know it's my fault they did this to you? I'm sorry I couldn't save you.

I think back on our time together. My heart's aching. I can feel it breaking into pieces all over again. I should have said something. I'm an idiot for letting my feelings go unrequited without some form of closure. Tohru-Chan was always so warm and caring, even Masao adored him. He went out of his way to hang out with me, even when I know I don't have a likable personality. But tonight... His hand was cold as ice. I peer into the spring's fountain. The spider is still sitting there. I reach my hand into the water. The spider doesn't even flinch, it just sits there. Brave little thing.

I hear footsteps approaching. I look up, and there's the guy from Kanemasa. The one that helped Shimizu take Tohru-Chan in the first place, the one who was watching Kaori and Akira the day I met them. He smiles at me. "Hi! You are Yuuki Natsuno-Kun, right?" he asks.

"Who wants to know?" I ask, forcing myself back on my feet.

"That's right, I didn't introduce myself the last time we met, did I?" he laughs, "My name is Tatsumi, I work up there at the Kirishiki household on Kanemasa. I'm here to kill you." He says it as casually as if he's talking about how pleasant the weather is.

"WHY?" I demand to know.

"You're pretty sharp, kid. You were the first one to become aware of us," Tatsumi states.

"That's your own damned faults!" I return. "You shouldn't have revealed yourselves to me, if you knew that was going to be a problem for you!"

"You're brave, too. You noticed us, but instead of leaving the village like you should have, you came running back," Tatsumi continues.

"I..." I clench my fists. I don't care, if I'm going to die here, I may as well get it out. I can't find Tohru-Chan, so it's not like I know he'll hear me anyway. "I couldn't leave after that. My heart was tied here! I couldn't leave while I knew you people were ruining everything the one person that ever meant a damn to me cared about." I managed to get out every word without a single sob, without a single tear. In the face of death, the old me was back in an instant. It's just him. I can take one of them.

Tatsumi chuckles. "Exactly. You couldn't leave, because you're very kind, aren't you, Natsuno?"

"Don't call me that." I growl. "Don't you DARE call me by my name!"

Tatsumi kept his hands on his hips and came closer. "You couldn't leave because after a year of living here, you've actually grown to care about Sotoba, haven't you? You don't have very many, but you're not exactly bereft of friends, are you?"

"Don't talk like you know me!" I snap.

"But, that's a problem for us. Just like Ozaki-Sensei, you're trying to hunt us. We can't let hunters live, it simply isn't allowed. This would be easier if you were someone who'd just lie in bed, trembling under the covers, like your friend Tohru."

Grrr. "You bastard!" I pick up the closest thing I can find and throw it at him. "Alright, so you want to kill me? But, I won't take it lying down. You'll have to catch me first."

"Oh, a game of Oni tag does sound fun, but let me suggest something a bit more fun?"

I stare at him for a moment, wondering what he has in mind. _Tohru-Chan...? N-No, he would never! My Tohru-Chan would never willingly work with these people!_ My mind races, my stomach ties in knots. Once more, my heart is aching. But, he doesn't call out to the one I'm expecting. "Megumi-Chan, come out here, please," he says calmly.

 _Megumi...? SHIMIZU!_ I turn and look behind me, my eyes widening in horror as SHE walks out of the tree line. Skin so pale it would put a Kagome doll to shame, hair so pink it almost glows in the dark, pink dress and boots, pink gloves and nails, and fishnets running up the rest of her legs. If I were a random straight male who didn't know her, she'd be attractive at this moment. But I do know her. She's the stuff of my nightmares. She slowly walks out onto the road. Then turns to face us. "Sh...Shi-mi-zu..." I know I can't hide the fear in my voice as I speak her name.

"Tatsumi-Kun, I..." she says, letting her eyes turn down to the ground.

"I expected you'd come running to find him," Tatsumi says, "You said you were going to make Yuuki-Kun yours, didn't you? Well, I'm going to make this special exception. This is your chance." Shimizu looks up at him with a look of confused shock. "Now it's him against two of us!" Tatsumi points out. He's right. My back's to the shrine with the spring, he's on my left, and she on my right, and here I am stuck in the middle with no where to run, but a line of trees with who knows how many other horrors lurking behind them. "Do WHATEVER you please with him."

Shimizu turns her cold, dead black eyes onto me and smiles. I'm no longer strong enough to keep up the charade of being brave. I'm alone in the dark, with the one person who scares me the most staring me down. She slowly walks toward me, one step at a time. "Yuuki-Kun, please understand. It's better if I attack you than a stranger, right?" she asks.

"NO!" I reach for the ladle for the spring, hoping to splash some of it's water on her. It's supposed to be healing water, maybe it would work, right? I look down. Damn! That ladle was what I'd thrown at Tatsumi. I skirt my way around the shrine, and slowly back away from her, toward the tree line. I can't take my eyes off her while I'm still out in the open. I don't dare look away. If it where just one of them, I could knock them over and run for it. But with two, things are going to be difficult. I glance to the side to see Tatsumi's yellow eyes are now the same as Shimizu's, black with red eyes.

I reach the tree line, but I don't know what to do now. I feel the threat of tears stinging the edges of my eyes, but I refuse to let anyone see me cry. "Yuuki-Kun..." Shimizu calls to me. It's that voice she always used, trying to sound sickeningly sweet, while dripping with poison. "Yuuki-Kun, come to me." Her eyes widen and she pauses, with a gasp.

Suddenly, a pair of arms wrap around me from behind and pull me in. One over my mouth, the other over my stomach, I'm yanked back behind the tree line as I try to struggle. These hands, they're so cold. But that smell...? My eyes widen as my senses take over. There's a faint hint of grave dirt smell mixed in, but I know that scent.

"Shh... Shh..." I hear a voice whispering into my ear. "It's alright, Natsuno, calm down," it's so soft and tender, but at the same time full of sorrow. I know it in an instant. "You're only making this harder on yourself," he whispers. I stop struggling, but tremble as his cold lips gently press against the back of my neck. "I know you're scared, but I've got you. I won't let them touch you," he promises.

 _Tohru...? Tohru-Chan?_ "Teru-hun?" his hand muffles me as I try to call out his name. _Oh, Tohru-Chan... I knew you wouldn't let them have me. I knew I could trust you._

"Mutou, no!" Shimizu exclaims as he steps out of the trees, holding me in his arms.

"You wanted me to do this?" he says, looking towards Tatsumi. "Fine. As long as it's not her! But I do it my way." _Wait? What!?_ I start to squirm again. "Shh... It'll all be over soon, Natsuno," he whispers, "In the morning, this'll have been nothing more than another bad dream. I feel cold splashes of water on my shoulder as he pulls me closer. Still holding a hand over my mouth, his other hand presses against the top of my head, tilting it to the side to expose my neck. Gently supporting my back, he grabs me firmly, his arms wrapped around my chest. I turn my eyes upward to see his face staring into me, so cold that it seeps into my bones. _Oh, Tohru-Chan, please don't do this..._ He leans down and presses his lips to my neck once more. A shiver runs through my entire body. "I'm so sorry, Natsuno," he whispers.

He opens his mouth and I see a pair of fangs. I let out a muffled scream at the sight of them. It's like a dagger through my heart. Just when I thought it was mending, it's shattered to pieces all over again. He bites into my neck and I cry out. Shimizu shrieks, and looks on horrified, mortified that he beat her to me. Tatsumi laughs.

There's only slight discomfort when Tohru-Chan first bites down. After that, it almost feels good. My eyes stay locked on him. His face turns a slight shade of pink. It's not the same shade of pink as Shimizu's hair or clothes, it's light, and beautiful, almost as if he's blushing. Even now, even though I'm frightened and feel betrayed, I still find him beautiful. As he sucks at my neck, drinking my blood, I feel the life slip from me. My body is becoming weaker and colder. Yet, his body is starting to feel warmer.

My legs feel like they're going to give out and I wrap my left arm behind his head, looking for support. I don't know how many times over the past year I've dreamed about being held in his arms in such an embrace. Only I never thought those tender kisses to the neck I'd dreamed about would be death bites.

"Oh my," Tatsumi chuckles, "I think he's getting turned on by this Tohru-Kun. I knew you two were close, but I didn't realize you were THAT close." _Pervert!_

"Wh...What!?" Shimizu exclaims. Her face turns as pink as her hair. I guess they can blush, after all? "Y... You mean, Yuuki-Kun is...?" She looks at me, wide eyed for a moment, her eyes scanning me from head to toe. She shakes her head, covers her face, and sinks to her knees. _Damn it all woman, NOW you finally realize it!?_ "I'm such an idiot," she sobs into her hands.

Tohru doesn't say anything, but I feel another splash of cold water hit my neck and roll down my skin. My fingers catch the back of his neck, and slip into his hair line. _It's not your fault, Tohru. Had things continued the way they were, she would'e had to of figured it out eventually._ I begin to find it harder and harder to keep my eyes open, or to stay standing. The last thing I see before I go unconscious, is Tohru.


	8. Chapter 8

I wake up the next morning with a start. Parts of me are cold, other parts are hot. I'm washed in sweat. Wait...? I'm in my room, and in a pair of boxers and a tank top shirt. Did... Did I dream all of that? I try to sit up, but I'm extremely weak and I feel a pain in my neck. Wha...? I press my fingers to my neck and my eyes open wide. No... No, I didn't dream it. I can feel the puncture wounds.

I drag myself out of my room and into the bathroom. Looking closely at the mirror, I can definitely see the wounds. If I go anywhere today, I'll have to keep it hidden. I can't tell Kaori and Akira I've been bitten. I stay home for the day and don't go out. Anemia, I believe that's what they called the first symptom. I stay in bed all day.

My mind continues to replay the scene with Tohru-Chan... No, the THING that looks like Tohru-Chan over and over. It sounded like him, it looked like him. Except for the hint of grave dirt, it even smelt like him. He used that same comforting tone he always used to make me feel safe. But that was not Tohru-Chan. Tohru-Chan was never that cold, he would have never acted that way. This thing never even smiled, once.

I feel so conflicted. Part of me wants to believe it's him, that he's come back to me. The rest of me is convinced it's some sort of cruel trick these things are playing. That maybe they can take the form of those we want to see the most. But if that's the case, then why was Shimizu there?

"That wasn't my Tohru-Chan," I tell myself, rolling on my side and curling into the fetal position. My body refuses to listen to the more sensible side of me. Stupid teenaged hormones! I roll back on my back and stair up at the ceiling. A trembling hand wraps around my neck, my fingers pressing against where he bit me. I close my eyes as my other hand wanders lower. _Damn it all._ I scold myself for giving in, but I can't fight what I'm about to do. _I knew I had it bad, but I didn't realize I had it that bad._ Tatsumi was right. I did get turned on by that last night. There must be something seriously wrong with me.

I'm feeling better the next day, I'm still weak, but able to move. I've had time to think. I stay home again, but make plans to meet Kaori and Akira later in the afternoon. I arrange to meet them on the public playground. As I wait, I begin to feel tired again, so I sit on one of the swings. My mind begins to wander again. I bite my lower lip to try and stop the tears. Feelings of hurt, betrayal, and loneliness all bubble to the surface as I sit there. I feel like my heart may never heal again. I know what I'm going to have to do, and I don't like it.

Kaori and Akira arrive. Apparently, they had been worried when they didn't hear from me yesterday. Akira tells me that the entire town had gone to Kanemasa as a mob, thinking the Kirishiki were responsible for what was happening, but that the father came out in the sunlight, and Ozaki-Sensei gave him a clean bill of health. His classmates laughed at him for trying to suggest the doctor was wrong. Kaori thinks it's possible the Kirishiki aren't the ones we're after. But after last night, I know better.

I never once look up at them. "I want the both of you to leave this village quickly," I tell them. "Run away, and leave as soon as possible." If I can't save Sotoba, I can at least save these two, right?

Akira refuses, but Kaori's quick. She catches on. "Something happened, didn't it, Natsuno?" she asks. She catches my collar and pulls it to the side. She gasps as she sees the twin fang marks.

"Yeah," I nod with a sigh. I don't want to admit it. I don't want to think about it. The one person I always believed I could trust, I could count on, and he's following them. I let him soften me, and now, I'm going to have to harden my heart all over again, or it may never fully heal. I drag Kaori and her brother to the bus stop and give them enough money for the fare to get them to the city. "They want to convert the entire Village," I tell them, "and they want me out of the way. I'll hear no more arguing. Both of you, get out of here, before they target you, too. Get on that bus and go. If what I've given you isn't enough, then call me!"

"Aren't you coming too?" they ask.

No. I can't leave while Tohru-Chan is still with them. I want to talk to him. Maybe I can finally be honest with him and convince him to leave with me. He didn't seem like he wanted to do this. I'm putting my life on the line, but that's the way it is. I smile at them. "I have something to do first. When I'm through, I'll catch up with you," I promise.

I'm still weak, but at least able to move. If he'd come last night as well, I might not even manage that. I return home, stuff the makeshift cross in my pocket, grab one of my dad's mallets, and fashion a stake from a spare piece of wood in the work shop. Then, I lie in wait. Why didn't he come last night? Is he feeling guilty?

I wait in the bushes, where Shimizu use to hide. I look over to my bedroom and suddenly understand why she took this spot, it's not only a great hiding spot, but a decent field of vision. Great, now I feel like some sort of weird pervert, staring at my own room. Why did I have to suddenly think of HER?

Ah...? There! The creature slips up to my window and leans against the wall. It raises its hand as though it's about to knock, then pauses. Even now, my heart and eyes betray my mind and body. I'm sensible enough to know this is not MY Tohru-Chan, no matter how much it looks like him. And yet...

It doesn't knock. It slumps and starts to walk away. I recall, I never actually felt I was looking at Tohru-Chan in that coffin, just an empty shell without a soul. But this thing appearing before me, not only looks like him, it's having second doubts about attacking me. Is it really...?

I stand up. "Are you looking for me?" I ask. It pauses, a look of surprise on it's face. "Tohru-Chan, I'm right here." I step out of the bushes.

"W... What are you...? You shouldn't be out here! You're safer inside," it exclaims.

"Am I? My parents have already invited you in, haven't they? How else did I wake up in my night clothes yesterday morning?" I inquire. "How did that feel, getting to change my clothes, by the way?" I'm fishing with that comment, I know that. If this is really the Tohru-Chan I know, his heart's set on Ritsu-Chan, not me.

He, no, IT turns its head. "You sound like you expected me to try something dirty. I did what I was told, to change you into your night clothes, so that your parents don't get suspicious finding you in the bed in the same clothes you had on during the day. There's nothing more to it than that. You're fifteen, Natsuno, and I'm kind of dead, there's all kinds of issues with that, you know."

I raise an irritated eyebrow. I'm two years over the legal age of consent according to the Japanese Constitution, what the hell does my age have to do with anything? _What kind of answer is that, anyway? Even now, you're sending mixed signals! Damn, I've been letting you lead me on all this time!_ "Tell me something?" I reach into my pocket and pull out a cross. "Does this thing really work?" The creature staggers backwards, a look of fear sweeping it's face. He digs his nails into the wall behind him, realizing I have him cornered. "Are you really afraid of something so simple as two pieces of wood in the shape of a giant 't', or were you afraid of such a symbol while you were alive, too? Can it be any charm? One of your comrades was afraid of a simple good luck charm Kaori had bought for Shimizu to wish her luck on her entrance exams. So I'm curious, just how effective is it?"

I watch as this simple item, make shift from two pieces of wood and some twine truly frightens him. I almost feel guilty waving it in his face. "Na-tsu-no..." it sobs.

I frown. It looks like him. It sounds like him, and NOW it's acting like him. "I TOLD YOU NOT TO CALL ME THAT!" I throw the cross at him, just barely missing his head. It hits the wall and breaks. Damn, I've really got to stop throwing stuff at these guys. I turn and run. No, if it were just a creature that was working for them in the form of Tohru-Chan, it would have called me Yuuki. Very few people call me Natsuno, and none ever say it like THAT, no one, but him.

"Natsuno!" I hear his voice call after me. I look back to find that even though I had a good minute's start, he's caught up.

"Why are you doing this!?" I ask, not bothering to stop. "Why are you with them? Why are you coming after me?"

"Natsuno, I'm sorry! It's not what you think," he calls, "I don't want to hurt you. But if I don't, they'll send someone else instead."

"I could have lived with that!" I reply, "They could have sent anyone but you."

"Tatsumi chose me on purpose!" he explains, "He said if I didn't, they'd go after Aoi-Chan and Tamotsu next!" My eyes widen and look back over my shoulder.

"Why? Why can't you guys coexist with humans? Why not just stop attacking humans?" I ask.

"It's impossible!"

"Why? If you came out and explained things clearly, there's bound to be someone willing to give fresh blood, without being killed or turned! Won't the amount of blood return to normal after a few days? Why just humans, what about animals?"

"It doesn't work that way! Animal blood, we can do it, but it doesn't give us what we need as well as human blood does. You wouldn't understand." I look back to see it grabbing its stomach as it runs. "Just like humans killing animals is approved in society, we too approve of killing humans. At first, everyone is disgusted, afraid to bear the sin of killing people, afraid to receive punishment for replenishing themselves with the life of another. But once you realize there's no punishment, you get use to the guilt pretty soon." _Guilt?_ Then he does wish there was a better way. "Aren't humans the same? They butcher pigs and cows and eat their meat bit by bit. It's changed, but basically the same thing."

"NO IT'S NOT!" I exclaim, whirling around to look at him. "There's no way to take just a single piece of meat from a pig without letting it suffer if you don't kill it! But humans give blood at blood banks and blood drives everyday. They have to eat to replenish after that, but it's proof it can be done!" I insist. "THEY are the ones telling you all of this." I stop and look at him, I feel the threat of tears sting my eyes, but at the moment, I could care less if he sees them flow or not. "Do you really think that way?"

He stops, placing his hands on his knees. "Yes," he says. I can hear hesitation in his voice, see the look in his eyes. He doesn't believe that way. He agrees with me, but he's too afraid to admit it.

I click my tongue and reach behind my back. "It can't be helped then. Even an animal struggles before it's death." I pull out my ace in the hole. I'd hoped so much I wouldn't have to turn to this. "If a cross works, then a wooden stake should, too!" I hold the stake, ready to drive it into his heart. My hands are trembling. _Make your move, prove to me you're not the person you look like!_ "What are you waiting for? You want to kill me? Want to feast on my blood? You of all people should know I won't go down without a fight! You honestly believe there's no other way? Well, here I am, come at me!"

Fear sweeps his face again, and I feel my heart wrench and my stomach lurch. The guy I always turned to for comfort, the person I let pass through so many personal barriers, the love of my life, and I'm standing here, threatening to run a stake through his heart in exchange for the dagger that's destroyed my own.

He backs away, frightened as hell, and rightfully so, I suppose. "N...Natsuno..." he whimpers.

"STOP CALLING ME THAT!" I exclaim, tossing the stake and mallet onto the ground at my feet. "This is disgusting! Act more like a Vampire, not the guy I use to know, the guy you were when you were alive!"

"But I AM the guy you knew when I was alive," he argues. "Natsuno, I swear, I'm not doing this because I want too."

I tug at my collar, where his bite marks reside on my neck. "After what you did, you still dare to call me by my name?"

"I did what I did the other night to try and save you. Tatsumi would have killed you on the spot, and I know how you feel about Megumi-Chan."

"I would have fought either of them on their own," I say, sinking to my knees. I close my eyes, shake my head, and bury my face into my palms. "I wouldn't have hesitated if Shimizu came. She's put me through so much, and I'd never met Tatsumi before, I would have put all my strength into getting away from him." I peek over my finger tips. "It's not fair they chose you. I can't fight you. I l..." I stop. No, not like this. I can't tell him like this.

My eyes widen, as I see him wrap his arms around his stomach, as though he's starving. _T-Tohru-Chan?_ "N-Natsuno..." he calls my name.

My eyes widen. He didn't come for me yesterday. "You're really hungry, aren't you?" I ask, rolling up my sleeve. He frowns at me and gives a quiet nod, taking a step back. "You didn't eat last night, did you?" I deduce as I stand up. He shakes his head.

"No," he admits. "I didn't come for you last night, and I refused to feed from anyone else. Natsuno, I understand if you hate me, but please believe I never wanted to hurt you. I did what I did the other night, to make sure they wouldn't attack. As long as you bare my fang marks, they see you as my prey and will only attack with my permission, or if something happens to me. But, I haven't eaten since, and Tatsumi-Kun realized I only took enough blood to knock you out, so he bled me as punishment. That's why I said you're safer inside."

My poor Tohru-Chan. "Fine," I say holding up my arm. "Then let this be my olive branch. If you're hungry, then come to me. I'll give it to you willingly, but to you and you alone! You and I know how to work things out together, Tohru-Chan. We can do anything together, we both know that! Drink now, and we'll figure out a plan. There's got to be another way." Tohru-Chan looks at me in shock. "We can leave this village together and find a place where Tatsumi and the others can't find us. We may even find someone who can help us."

Rather than coming toward me, he backs away. I notice a change slowly taking over, but I don't know what it is. "No, it can't be done!" he whimpers, turning away and covering his face. "No, Natsuno, don't ask this of me now... Stay back."

What's wrong with him? "Don't be like this. I'm trying to help you."

"It's impossible to run from Tatsumi-Kun," he whimpers, running his fingers through his hair.

"It's worth a try, isn't it?" I come closer. "Tohru-Chan, are you really that afraid? Sure, we may have to fight a few people to get out of here, and we'll have to hide you from the sunlight, but, it's worth the effort if we can find a way to prove them wrong, isn't it?" Tohru-Chan, please? I don't want to leave you to them. I don't want to leave without you. Can't you see I'm trying to help?

He shakes his head. "No!" he sobs, "It can't be done, Tatsumi-Kun is sadistic! He'll hunt us down and kill us for sure."

"Tohru-Chan, would you look at me, please?" I plead. "I can't believe you're so scared you won't try." I reach out and put my hand on his shoulder. "You've always been there for me. It's my turn to be there for you."

Tohru-Chan sniffles and shakes his head. "No, Natsuno," he whimpers again, "Get back. I'm not afraid of what they'll do to me. I'm afraid of what'll happen to you."

"T-Tohru-Chan...? But didn't you just say...?" I stagger back a moment at those words, my face flushing red. Something's wrong, really wrong. I could hear it in his voice just now.

Hey lets out a blood curdling cry and turns to face me. My eyes widen and I stagger in fright. The tears streaming down his cheeks, the red orbs glowing in his eyes, the way his face is twisted, the way his fangs are bared. THEY bled him and then he didn't feed, his hunger's gone unsatiated too long. I won't fight him, but I will run if given the chance. I take a step back, only to slip on an uneven patch of grass. I look up, wide eyed as Tohru-Chan pounces on me.

I cry out as his fangs sink into my neck, slipping perfectly into place through the preexisting puncture wounds there from the other night. He's no where near as gentle this time. I squirm, and scream in pain. "T-oh-ru-Ch-an!" I force myself to call his name.

Tears fill my eyes as he drinks from me. I ball my hand into a fist and strike him as hard as I can on the back, hoping to bring him back to his senses. Between the preexisting anemia from the other night, and the new loss of blood, however, the blow isn't as strong as it needs to be. If he doesn't stop soon, he'll drink too much, and really will kill me. "Tohru-Chan...? St-ah-p," I gasp out in pain, trying to hit him again.

The red orbs in his eyes stop glowing and though he doesn't stop drinking, he becomes gentler as he realizes what he's doing. His icy cold tears begin to run down his face again, splashing onto my shirt. My fingers twist into the back of his shirt. I'm too weak to struggle any more. If he needs to drink more, I'll submit willingly.

"I'm sorry, Natsuno," he sobs as he pulls away. "I'm so sorry."

I try to wrap my arms around him tighter. "It's ok, Tohru-Chan," I tell him. "It's ok, it's not your fault." I try not to let him hear the sobs in my voice. "THEY did this to you. It's ok... I lo..." My vision blurs and I blink, once, twice, I can't will myself to finish that sentence, I don't have the strength to do so. I close my eyes once more and everything goes dark.

************************************************************************************************************************************************

I don't know what time it is when I finally wake up. I vaguely remember opening my eyes long enough to tell Dad I was staying home from school again, before falling unconscious once more. Now that I'm more wide awake, I hear him arguing with someone at the door.

"Is Natsuno-Niichan in?"

 _Bloody hell!_ I force myself out of bed.

"Who are you?" Dad asks.

"I'm Tanaka Akira, and this is my sister Tanaka Kaori."

"We're friends of Natsuno-Kun's," Kaori's voice chimes in.

"I'm afraid Natsuno's not feeling well," Dad says, "And I never heard of you."

"We know he's not feeling well," Kaori says, "That's why we came to visit him. We were worried about his illness."

"It's not an illness," my father argues, "He's been having trouble sleeping ever since summer, I think he's just over tired."

I roll my eyes as I drag myself into the hallway. Always got to have an explanation for everything, don't you, Dad? "It's ok, Dad, you can let them in," I call, peeking around the corner.

"N-Natsuno?"

"Excuse us!" they exclaim, zipping into the house.

"Hey!?"

"It's alright," I explain, "I called and asked Kaori-Chan to get my assignments from my teachers. They won't be here long." It's a lie, but at least it's one he'll accept... I hope.

I lead them back to my room. I'm so weak I can't pull myself away from the wall to even walk. "Niichan!" Akira grabs hold of me. "Were you attacked again?" I hear his sister gasp.

No. It really was Tohru-Chan, and he was trying not to attack. If I admit I was bitten, they might try to... I heave a sigh as my vision goes black for a moment. "Why the hell did you two come back?"

They each link one of my arms around their shoulders and help me back to my bed. "We can't run away on our own," Akira argues.

"We're your friends, Natsuno, we were worried about you," Kaori said.

"You forced us on the bus, and after a few stops, we reached a relatives house within five hours, but we couldn't just let you face this on your own. Besides, we still had Mom and Dad to think about. They're not aware of these evil spirits come back to life!" Akira exposits. "We're the only ones who can save them."

"Add to that the fact that we've all lost someone important to us because of these monsters," Kaori throws in, "We can't just let you handle this alone." She reaches into a bag and pulls out a handful of charms. "Look, Natsuno, I used the money you gave us to buy these exorcism amulets and talismans at the shrine in Mizobechou. I'm not sure if they'll work on these evil spirits, but I think they might. Let me hang them in your room."

I slump back on the bed with an exhausted sigh. "I do not plan on waiting to die. I intend to escape this village." For a moment, I feel my strength recovering and my breathing returning to normal as they hang the charms.

"That's right, Niichan, leave this place!" Akira pleads.

"I've always thought about it," I admit to them, "Going back to the city. That's why I've been studying so hard for university entrance exams."

But, I can't leave him with them. If I run and he stays, who knows what they may do to him? Will they really go after Aoi-Chan and Tamo-Chan if he doesn't kill me? Will they really spare them if he does? I almost don't want them to put these wards up in my room. He can't come to me if they do.

"We'll all find a way out sooner or later," Aoi-Chan says, with a smile. They finish hanging the wards and leave.

Dad comes to the door a few moments later.  At this point, I've tucked Tohru-Chan's bear under the covers so he can't see her. "Natsuno, how are you feeling?" He opens the door and freezes in what could almost be considered horror. "WHAT ARE THESE!?" Akira and Kaori went a bit over board, plastering even more charms across the room than I had done in my first attempt. I'm lying in the bed, too weak to prevent him from taking them down, like I know he will. My room looks like a damned shrine as the wards, charms, and crosses cover the bed, the drapes, the wall, the floor, the desk, nearly any free surface has been covered. It's a little creepy in a way, yet, I already feel some of my strength coming back. Maybe I should have just kept a clove of garlic hidden under the bed where he can't find it? "This is absurd. The villagers' superstitions are too much, Epidemic, Revival, Evil Spirits? I've had enough!" As expected, Dad rips every one of them down, and forbids me to ever see either of them again.

Tohru-Chan doesn't come. Maybe he's feeling guilty again? Maybe he's trying to give me a chance to recover. But, my heart has been broken too many times. I've put too much stress on myself fretting over the exams to get away from this village and out from under my parents' guardianship. These walking corpses that feed on humans have only added to the damage I was already doing to myself. I'm so weak I can barely open my eyes the next day.

Kaori and Akira return to check on me. I can't open my eyes to speak to them, but I can hear them. "Where are all the charms we put up yesterday?" Akira asks.

"Oh no, look at him!" Kaori gasps.

"He's gotten worse," Akira says.

"Just like Megumi-Chan," Kaori sobs, "becoming more and more weak, and upon reaching this state... The next day he will..."

"No! He can't!" Akira exclaims. "Niichan won't die that easily!"

"You're right about two things," my father's voice interjects. "He won't die that easily, and he's getting worse. So you can both leave, now."

"But, we really wanted to speak with him," Kaori protests.

"How can you talk with him when he's in that condition?" Dad argues, "He can't even open his eyes. And take this back! If you wish to ever come here again, don't bring such weird things into this house."

I can hear the fear in Kaori's voice as she asks it, "Please... Please let us look after him!"

"What?" my father asks in surprise.

"Tonight, can you let us sit at his bedside and watch over him, please? We promise not to cause any trouble for the family," Kaori pleads.

"PLEASE!" they both exclaim.

Dad orders them out, insisting he and Mother can look after me on their own. Yeah? Good job so far, Dad. You don't even know what you're dealing with! Akira refuses, and begins arguing with him. I've got to admit, I've always admired the kid's courage.

"FINE, I WON'T BEG ANYMORE!" Akira exclaims, "BUT YOU KEEP THIS IN MIND, WE'RE THE ONLY ONES WHO KNOW HOW TO SAVE HIM! IF YOU KEEP PUSHING THINGS AWAY, TONIGHT, NIICHAN WILL BE ATTACKED AGAIN AND DIE!"

"AKIRA! Don't say that!" Kaori scolds him.

"I'm telling you, it's the evil spirits that have revived. Something that looks like someone who was close to Niichan has done this to him!" Akira sobs. I flinch, but still can't react. How the hell does he know that? I never told them who it was. "But you're a hindrance! You're killing Niichan with your own hands!"

"Akira, that's enough!" Kaori exclaims, "Come on, we're leaving!" My door slams shut.

Dad stands in my room dumbfounded. Got to give points to Akira on that one, I don't think anyone's ever managed that before. Finally, I hear him thinking out loud, "Those two kids might have over heard about that crazy mystic Itou Ikumi who caused the mob to run to Kanemasa accusing the Kirishiki of being 'Evil Spirits Revived'. Those poor superstitious village kids naively that it's real. How silly of me to handle things like a child."

 _Dad, you're an idiot!_ I hear the door to my room creak open, then click shut. _I'm doomed._

It's later on into the afternoon. The dark settles in and I can sense the movement in the trees. Tohru-Chan's come back. A cold sweat rushes over my body as I force my eyes open. This damned anemia, I can't even force myself to sit up. I hear the door open and turn my head. "Dad...?" I call to him in a weak, tired voice.

"I'm sorry, did I wake you?" he asks, entering the room.

I shake my head. "I'm feeling a bit stuffy. Could you... open the window so I can get a bit of a breeze?"

"Sure," he agrees, unlocking and opening the window. "How are you feeling?"

"Just fine," I lie with a smile.

"It might just be a mental issue," Dad sighs, walking over and placing a hand on my forehead. "Do you want me to take you to the hospital?" _No! This is my last chance to talk to Tohru-Chan. I can't..._ "They might give you some medication or something."

"It'd be the same as drinking some of your White Horse Whiskey, right?" a ask with a bit of a laugh.

"Well, I see you're feeling well enough to make jokes," Dad says, putting his hands on his hips. "Don't get so full of yourself! I'll come in to check on you from time to time, ok?" I nod and he leaves.

I turn my eyes back to the window. I can see him there now. I wish I could force my body to move. I may never make it out of Sotoba, but tonight, if I could just reach the National Highway, I'd run south without a second thought, and go as far as I could.

Tohru-Chan comes to the window, a frown on his face, the tears already streaming down his face. "You'd better do it quick, or my father may come in and catch you. I would come to you if I could. But, every inch of my body feels weak and powerless. It feels as though I've lost all of my limbs. I can't even sit up on my own."

Tohru-Chan quietly slips through the window. Even now, I still find myself hoping Tohru-Chan will change his mind and join us. If I can't leave with him, then there's no point in leaving at all.

"Oh, Natsuno," he sobs my name as he sits on my bedside. He ruffles his hand through my hair. "I'm so sorry. Can you ever forgive me for doing this to you?"

"I can't... talk you into leaving with me... Can I?" I ask. My voice is weak and strained.

Tohru-Chan shakes his head. "No. Oh, I wish it were possible, Natsuno, but it can't be done." He strokes a hand down my cheek. "The results would be the same."

I close my eyes and force back the sob that wants to escape my throat. "T-Toh-Tohru-Chan," I gasp, "H-Help me sit up, please?" Tohru-Chan nods and helps me sit upright.

"I'm so sorry," he whispers.

I look at him for a moment. "It's fine," I say, my fingers twisting into the long sleeves of the button up he's wearing. I can barely feel him within my grasp. "To-hru-Chan. W-what did you mean, when you said you were a-fraid of what would ha-happen to me, if you ran?" Damn it, I'm so weak at this point, I'm struggling to just get out full sentences! "D-idn't you say they wouldn't touch me, as long as I h-ad your mark?" I force my left hand to the puncture wounds on my neck.

Tohru-Chan nods. "Unless invited... Or something happens to me. That's why you were safer to stay in here and revoke the invitation that allowed me inside," he explained, "However, if they see me a traitor, should they send some one after me, then my mark won't protect you. You'd be fair game. I didn't want someone else to do this to you. I thought it'd be easier for you if it were someone you know." He closes his eyes and sobs. "I had hoped I could prolong it, drink a little at a time, and convince them you were gone. But, Tatsumi-Kun bled me out that first night. The next time I saw you, I was starved. I couldn't help myself."

I force my left hand to his cheek and gently caress it. I know he's cold as ice to the touch, but at the moment, I'm so numb it doesn't phase me. "Tohru-Chan," I call his name gently. "My offer still stands. Leave with me, Kaori, and Akira. I'll even talk to Aoi-Chan and Tamo-Chan if you like, the six of us can leave and fight any that come after us."

"No!" he exclaims, "I don't want them to see me like this!" He shakes his head and wraps his arms around himself. "I don't like what I've become, Natsuno. If you rise up as one of us, you'll hate me for doing this to you. If I can protect Aoi-Chan and Tamotsu from the shadows, that's one thing, but I don't want them to know me like this."

I give an exasperated sigh. "FINE!" I snip, looking away from him. "I always had the feeling I'd never get out of this place."

"N-Natsuno...?" Tohru-Chan gasps. The tears start flowing down his cheeks again.

This is my last chance. I force myself to move. Tohru-Chan blinks as I throw my arms around him. I nuzzle my face into his shoulder. "Tohru-Chan, you idiot!" I sob. "I won't run without you." I tighten my hold on him. "I don't want anyone else to do this."

"Natsuno..." he hesitates, but wraps his arms around me, a gentle hand strokes through my hair. I feel his icy cold tears splashing onto my face and shoulders. He trembles a little and I hear a slight moan come from him.

"You're hungry, aren't you?" I ask. "It's ok, Tohru-Chan. Do it, if you must. But... I have a favor to ask you. A dying request."

"What is it, Natsuno?"

"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't scared. I've always known I was safe with you, but even with you, right now, I'm scared." My hold on him tightens. "Promise me...? Promise you'll stay with me until I take my last breath? That I won't die here alone."

I feel him tighten his hold around me. "I promise," he whispers.

I close my eyes and tilt my head. "Just one more thing...? Don't let me fall unconscious before you pull away?" A curious look sweeps his face, but he nods. Gently he leans in toward my neck. I gasp and twitch as he bites down on my neck for what would be the final time. His fangs slip back in through the preexisting puncture wounds and I feel him begin to suck my blood. I turn my eyes to look at him. I no longer find this scene as terrifying as I had the first time. But if he keeps his word and pulls away in time, I won't die with any regrets. I always believed in living my life where I won't die with any regrets. I did everything I could to try and save Kaori and Akira. I only have one thing left to do before I die.

I feel myself growing weaker, my hold on Tohru-Chan begins to slip. I can no longer hold back the tears that I've been fighting all summer. "T-Tohru-Chan," I call his name. We both know he's drank enough there's no way I'll survive the night. I understand not wanting to make me suffer, but there's one last thing I have to do before I die. It's unfair to him to do it now, but it has to be done.

"N-Natsu-no..." he whines as he pulls away from my neck.

I force my trembling hands up to his face and caress his cheeks. Pulling him close, I force my lips against his for my first and last kiss. Tohru-Chan freezes in place in shock, but doesn't fight me as my tongue enters his mouth. I can taste my blood on him, but I don't care. This taste, and Tohru-Chan's icy cold tears are all I have to prove this isn't some lucid fever dream. I have to do this, not for him, but for myself. I stay as long as I can until the need to breath forces me to pull away.

"N-Natsuno, why did you...?" he asks, placing a hand to his lips.

"Idiot," I sigh. "I've done everything to try and save you." I press my head against his chest, as I'm too weak to hold myself upright any more. "I'm sorry, I know it's unfair to you to do this now," I sob. "But... I can already feel myself dying." My breathing's becoming labored, my heart beat slower. My body aches. I close my eyes, my tears rolling down my cheeks and onto his shirt. "I'm sorry, Tohru-Chan. Forgive me. I love you." With that, I close my eyes and take my final breath.


End file.
